La Promessa
by BlueEyedAuthor
Summary: In 1997 an unsub blows up several locations in Chicago. When the BAU show up and begin their profile, it soon hits close to home for an agent with family in the city. Can the BAU find the unsub in time before one agent loses everything?
1. Family Affair

**This is my first CM fic, I'm so excited. Title is Italian for The Promise, I ran out of room in the summary. There is a mention of Agent Cooper. I own nothing but the OCs that appear in this story. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 1- Family Affair**

_June 14__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

_The unsub carefully walked into the restaurant and stared at the bar in disgust. This was the reason his world was destroyed. Those that owned restaurants that served alcohol had to pay. Destroying their property wasn't enough._

_Now it was the owners and the patrons he wanted to destroy…_

Michael Rossi walked into UNO's with his wife Katherine and their eleven-year-old daughter Angela, who everyone called Angie.

"Table for three, please?" said the man.

The hostess smiled and directed them to a booth. The family smiled as they looked at their menus and talked. Yesterday had been Angie's last day of school and the family was looking forward to spending the summer together in spite of Michael's job as a homicide detective.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

After the family finished their meal and Michael paid for it, they all made their way home.

"Dad, it's hot in here," said Angie.

"Could you open the windows?" said Katherine.

"No problem," said Michael.

He opened all the car windows and scowled. The thermometer he had put in the car due to the heat wave that had started a week ago was still reading eighty degrees and the breeze was doing little to help. He decided just to roll the windows up and blast the AC instead, which helped a lot more.

No sooner had they pulled into the driveway did the police scanner in Michael's car go off.

"It's your night off," said Katherine.

"Murder doesn't take the night off," said Michael.

"Can I come? I wanna come," said Angie.

"No," said Katherine.

Angie rolled her eyes. She knew she was young, but she was old enough to know that her father and her uncle caught these people for a living and when she was older she either wanted to be a cop like her dad, or a profiler like her uncle.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Michael waited until his wife and daughter were in the house. His partner, Bobby O'Reilly, had pulled up in their police car.

"Tell me why you installed that scanner in your car when it isn't even an unmarked cruiser," said Bobby.

Michael just shrugged and hopped into the passenger seat.

"I had to turn the scanner down because I had Katherine and Angie in the car with me, but I heard enough to know it was bad," said Michael.

"Bad doesn't describe it," said Bobby.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The two detectives arrived on the scene to find the bomb squad present and what appeared to be the remains of a restaurant. Michael shook his head. It was a Saturday night. The restaurant had probably been packed with people. The scene looked familiar for a reason but Michael couldn't place it.

Suddenly realizing why, he went over to the bomb squad member in charge, Lou Wilder. Despite working in different units, the two cops were close friends and often hung out.

"Wasn't a restaurant blown up last week?" said Michael.

"Yeah, and one the week before that, both on Mondays," said Lou. "They were both closed, no one was inside."

"How many dead?" said Michael.

"It was packed to capacity," said Lou. "Small Italian place, fifty people and that doesn't include the employees. Ten were dead at the scene and the rest were rushed to Chicago General."

Michael looked at the body bags and sighed.

"Bobby?" said Michael. "I'm gonna need you when I make these notifications. Lou, let me know when you confirm a match to the last two bombings."

Lou nodded.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Michael put his head in his hands after notifying the last family, the victim had been a seventeen-year-old girl who had gone out with her friends to celebrate the end of the school year.

"You okay?" said Bobby.

Michael looked at his partner. Bobby was 25, still young, but learned quickly. Michael was 40 years old and had seen a lot but this was messing with his head. The youngest victim had been five, part of an entire family that had been wiped out in the bombing. Lou was 55 and had been a cop since the age of 18, with a stint in Vietnam in between his years on the force. Of the three of them, Lou was the only one who was a Chicago native. Bobby had been born in Boston, Michael in Long Island, but the last two still considered Chicago their home nonetheless.

"I don't know," said Michael.

His phone rang, it was the hospital.

"The amount dead just jumped to fifteen," said Michael.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Two days later the remains of the bomb recovered from the restaurant were deemed a match to the last two bombings and the death toll had climbed to 18. Michael went to his captain and explained what he thought needed to happen.

"This guy went from blowing up two restaurants a week apart on Mondays, to blowing one up on a Saturday the third week, and now people are dead," said Michael. "My brother works for the BAU, as I've mentioned before. I want to invite him on the case but I wanted to get your permission first."

"You have it," said the captain.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_June 16__th__, 1997._

_Quantico, VA._

Rossi was doing paperwork when his cell phone rang.

"Rossi," said Rossi.

"Hi David," said Michael.

"Michael?" said Rossi.

Normally he was happy to hear from his brother, but he knew that Michael never called Rossi while on a case, and rarely ever called at night since he too was normally working. Michael also usually called Rossi's home, an apartment that had since become a bachelor pad in the wake of the divorce from his third wife.

Something was wrong.

As he listened to his brother talk, he knew even before he had received the files that he would be going over there.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Hotch was talking to Haley on the phone when he noticed Rossi waving him over.

"There's a case, I'll call you later," said Hotch.

Hotch walked over to Rossi's desk, passing Max, Gideon, and Cooper on the way. The three agents were talking about a teenager Gideon had met in California three years ago during a lecture. Hotch barely heard them as he approached Rossi's desk.

"My brother just faxed me these crime scene photos," said Rossi.

"He's a detective in Chicago, right?" said Hotch.

"Yeah," said Rossi. "Three restaurants have been bombed, all of them in or around the South Side. The first two were on Mondays, each a week apart. Both restaurants were closed, no casualties. The third week, another restaurant was bombed, on a Saturday."

"Saturdays are a busy night for restaurants, Haley always keeps asking me to make reservations but this job is too unpredictable," said Hotch. "We often sit at the restaurant's bar just to get seating, and order our food there."

After hearing what Hotch said, Rossi took a second look at the names of the restaurants.

"You might be onto something, all three of the restaurants have liquor licenses," said Rossi.

The two of them grabbed their go bags and caught a plane to Chicago.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

It was an hour into the flight. Hotch noticed Rossi looking at a photo and smiling.

"Is she your daughter?" said Hotch.

"My niece. Angela Dahlia Rossi," said Rossi. "She'll be twelve in a few weeks. She just finished the sixth grade this week. She insists on being called Angie, so her parents only use her full name when she does something bad, which isn't often. I taught her how to shoot last summer."

"You may be her uncle but you treat her like she's your daughter. Your brother is okay with it because he knows there may come a day he gets killed in the line, and you'll be the only father figure she has left. Your sister-in-law doesn't like you because she thinks between your three failed marriages and all the women you've slept with, you wouldn't be there for Angie when it counts but she's wrong," said Hotch.

"If you're that good at profiling me we'll definitely catch this guy," said Rossi.

The two men laughed, and Rossi winked at a blonde who was staring at them.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The plane landed and the two of them got off.

"David! David!" a voice yelled.

"That's Michael," said Rossi. "He moved down here after meeting Katherine one summer and has lived here ever since."

Hotch got a good look at Michael. The brothers looked alike. It was easy to tell they were related unlike his own who was blonde and often rebellious.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The three men walked outside and got into the police car, where Bobby sat in the driver's seat. Introductions were made and they set off for the precinct.

"I know you two would probably want to stay in a hotel, but I'm going to insist that you guys stay with me and Katherine," said Michael. "I'm sure you remember that there's two guestrooms, David. You won't have to bunk with your buddy back there."

"Hotch? That alright with you?" said Rossi.

"It's fine, they're getting sick of footing the budget for two hotel rooms every time we go anyways," said Hotch.

Everyone but Hotch laughed.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

They had gone over everything until four in the morning, and Rossi had talked to Lou, but they were all exhausted, their minds were no longer fresh and they needed to sleep at least for a few hours and possibly get some food in their stomachs.

Lou went home to his wife, Bobby went home to his fiancée, and Michael went with Rossi and Hotch to the home he shared with Katherine and Angie.

He loved his wife and daughter, he'd die for them. He'd kill too if it came to that.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_June 17__th__, 1997._

Rossi woke up the next morning. It was nine. He was surprised he'd gotten more than four hours considering there had been times on cases where he hadn't slept at all.

He got dressed, passing Hotch brushing his teeth in the bathroom. Rossi made his way towards the kitchen and saw that Angie was watching TV.

"She woke up and saw your suitcase in the hall, she's been downstairs ever since," Michael whispered.

"Why are we whispering?" Rossi whispered.

Michael led his older brother into the dining room, where he was certain they'd be out of earshot of Angie.

"I didn't tell my partner this, and now I'm telling you," said Michael. "He asked me last night if I was okay, but I'm not. That night, Saturday night, I took my wife and my daughter out for dinner. What if that had been us? I put my family at risk, David! I'm supposed to protect them."

"You didn't know at the time that anything was going on," said Rossi. "Inviting the BAU in was a good decision, whoever this guy is obviously changed his M.O."

The two of them stopped talking when they heard footsteps in the kitchen.

"Uncle David?" said Angie.

She was wearing PJs and carrying a DVD in her hands.

"What's that?" said Rossi.

"_The Exorcist_," said Angie.

"Angie, put that away," said Michael. "You don't want to watch that before breakfast. Trust me, okay?"

"So she throws up green, big deal," said Angie.

"Put that away, and I'll make pancakes," said Rossi. "We'll watch _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ instead."

Angie nodded and went back to where the DVDs were kept.

"I thought FBI agents weren't supposed to except bribes, much less be the ones doing the bribing," said Michael.

"Not my fault that movie scares you and not her," said Rossi.

Michael rolled his eyes as Rossi went into the kitchen to cook the pancakes. Angie followed him.

"You gonna catch the bomber?" said Angie.

"How did you find out? I know your parents don't tell you about my cases," said Rossi.

"The news," said Angie.

Rossi looked and saw Angie had the TV on, the news was talking about the bombing that had taken place Saturday.

"Your father and I are going to catch the person responsible," said Rossi. "Now turn the news off before your mother comes down here and gets mad at us."

Angie giggled at the thought of her mother being mad at her uncle – again – and turned the TV off.

**So that's my story for now. I'd love some feedback so I know whether or not to continue with this.**


	2. Profiles And Past Demons

**A/N: I'm not in a good mood. College is sucking right now, and I had wanted to have this chapter up a week ago. Unfortunately I had both a five page paper and an exam due in the same week, one day after another. Which meant I couldn't write to destress. I hope you can forgive me, this one is short and it's been about two weeks since I posted the last chapter. I'll try to be quicker about posting chapter 3, and hopefully it'll be longer too. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 2- Profiles And Past Demons**

_June 17__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

Rossi tried to focus on the movie and found he couldn't, the case and his family being in close proximity to the unsub was bothering him. Rossi was grateful Angie wasn't able to pick up on the fact he was worried. She was smiling and spearing syrup-covered pieces of pancake with her fork as the sequence through Halloweentown eventually led to the unveiling of Jack Skellington.

"So when are you going to build the profile?" said Angie.

"Today," said Rossi.

Angie smiled and ate another piece of pancake. Rossi wished more than anything at this moment he wasn't on a case. He knew the minute he and Hotch left the house to look at the parts of the three separate bombs that Katherine would say something uncalled for just because she could. She hadn't always been like that. She had once been very loving, a devoted cop's wife who had wanted a large family but the doctors had had to give Katherine a hysterectomy when she had almost bled out while giving birth to Angie.

The change in Katherine had been almost instantaneous. She had gone from being the perfect mother at first to becoming so overprotective that Rossi was sure if the woman didn't change her ways she would drive Angie away when the girl hit her teen years.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Who's the new guy?" said Angie.

As if on cue, Hotch walked into the TV room.

"Those smell good," said Hotch. "Who made them?"

"I did," said Rossi. "Plenty left for you before we go to the precinct to look at the pieces of the bombs."

Hotch warily looked at the pancakes and bottle of syrup in the kitchen. He wasn't sure how good of a cook Rossi was. What if he got food poisoning?

That was when he heard laughter. The source was a young girl with brown hair and hazel eyes. Hotch remembered the photo of Angie and realized it was the same girl.

"What's so funny?" said Hotch.

"You're about to catch someone similar to Timothy McVeigh and you're worried about getting food poisoning?" said Angie.

Hotch and Rossi had an idea.

"Do you know what McVeigh was convicted of?" said Hotch.

"Oklahoma City Bombing," said Angie.

"Did he act alone?" said Rossi.

"No," said Angie. "Hey! School's out, no quizzes allowed!"

"Too late," said Hotch.

"Don't worry, you passed," said Rossi.

"Who's your friend?" said Angie.

Rossi introduced Hotch and Angie and couldn't help but notice how they were sizing each other up.

"What did you do before?" said Angie.

"I was a prosecutor," said Hotch.

The three of them talked and finished their breakfast before Rossi and Hotch had to go to the precinct with Michael.

"We'll be back later," said Michael.

After they left Angie went back to bed. She didn't want her mother spoiling the good mood she was in.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi and Hotch looked at all three reassembled bombs, watching as Lou put some final pieces together. Michael and Bobby stood nearby observing. Both detectives looked like they had aged ten years overnight. Lou simply had a grim look on his face.

"Is this even helping?" said Lou.

"Everything helps," said Rossi.

"How is a profile supposed to help us catch this guy? I'm not skeptical, I just haven't been a detective that long," said Bobby.

"It's the only way to catch him now," said Michael. "Whoever this guy is, he won't stop until he's dead."

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi and Hotch never thought they'd be standing in front of the entire Chicago police department and giving a profile, but they were.

Rossi also noticed that Michael was the only one who looked confident in him. Then again, it had always been like that for the brothers.

FLASHBACK

_July 4__th__, 1973._

_Commack, Long Island, NY._

_Rossi and Michael walked through a cemetery, lit sparklers in their hands._

"_Where's Emma?" said Michael._

"_I left her with Ray," said Rossi._

"_Speak of the devil. Did you see that girl he had with him? Had to be a hooker," said Michael._

_The brothers laughed and dueled with the sparklers._

"_I heard Mom yelling at you this morning. Did you really join the marines?" said Michael._

"_Yeah," said Rossi. "I start basic training in a week."_

"_Don't worry, I'm confident you'll survive being a marine," said Michael. "However, if you do die can I have your car?"_

_The brothers put the sparklers down and play-fought in the cemetery._

END FLASHBACK

Rossi stared at the detectives before him. Lou looked unsure, and Bobby was simply staring at them.

Michael nodded at the agents, as if he was silently saying he had faith in the profile.

"We're looking for a man between the ages of 35 and 50 with experience that involves explosives," said Rossi. "He's blue collar, probably a construction worker or has military experience."

"C-4 and TNT were components in each bomb, look at reports over the past two months of any of those explosives reported missing, our unsub needed time to plan this," said Hotch.

"He's going after restaurants in the South Side that have liquor licenses and teens as about half to two-thirds of their customer base," said Rossi. "Our unsub most likely lost someone to an alcohol-related death."

"Look up anything and everything in your files where the cause of death was directly related to or directly caused by alcohol served to a minor at a restaurant," said Hotch. "Narrow the fatalities to anyone under 18, this unsub was their next of kin and possibly a parent as well. Narrow it even further to where a sole male relative claimed the body of the victim, that relative is possibly the unsub."

"The first two bombs were elaborate, the third was haphazardly thrown together," said Rossi. "He either has or had a partner, with a scientific background. The partner is female, between the ages of 24 and 29."

"I don't mean to sound skeptical, but how do we know the partner is a woman?" said Bobby.

"A woman wouldn't want to inflict harm on children, the third bombing did just that," said Rossi. "She was affected just like our unsub, they possibly had a relationship that rose up from a similar tragedy occurring in her own life."

"They possibly met at a support group for grieving family members," said Hotch. "We find out how our unsub tried to cope with his loss, we can find the partner and bring her in, if she knows he's killing people we can try getting her to cooperate with us."

"Something made this unsub go from blowing up empty restaurants to blowing them up when they were filled to capacity," said Rossi. "The partner either leaving him or something else happening to her is more than likely a second stressor."

"Look for deaths of women fitting that description occurring between the dates the second and third restaurants were bombed, or women who left Chicago in that same timeframe," said Hotch.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_June 18__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

_The unsub quickly began working on his fourth creation. He couldn't wait to start the fifth one._

_After all, the fifth one was going to be his biggest and would hopefully kill the most people…_

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Katherine looked for Angie and noticed her daughter was swimming in the pool Michael had had installed years ago. Katherine went outside.

"You need to come inside before you turn into a prune," said Katherine.

"Five more minutes," said Angie.

"It's almost dinnertime sweetie," said Katherine.

She knew even before she was finished saying the words that that plea was fruitless. The heat wave hadn't let up yet, and Michael and the others were still at the precinct. She heard the door open and saw Rossi.

"Where's Michael?" said Katherine.

"He had something to do," said Rossi.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Michael walked until he found the gravestone of his former partner.

_Benjamin Morgan_

_1956-1986_

_Beloved Father, Husband, and Police Officer_

Michael knelt down in front of the stone, remembering how his days in patrol had once been. Benjamin had been a good cop and an even better man. They were rarely made like that in Chicago anymore.

FLASHBACK

_September 13__th__, 1986_

_Michael and Benjamin were driving around with Benjamin's son Derek in the back._

"_So you guys always drive around like this?" said Derek._

"_Yeah," said Benjamin._

_A call came over about a robbery in progress at a convenience store. Michael immediately sped towards the location to track the robber down._

"_You gonna catch him?" said Derek._

"_Course we are, your Uncle Michael is the fastest driver on the force," said Benjamin._

"_Kid, I can drive faster than the Batman," said Michael._

_They managed to catch up with the robber, who was trying to flee on foot. Seeing that he was cornered, the robber emptied his gun at Benjamin and Michael before running away._

_The last thing Michael could remember doing before everything went black was making an 'Officer Down' call on his radio, and Derek kneeling over his father's body._

END FLASHBACK

Michael didn't remember much after that. He knew that Katherine had told him Ben had died from a single gunshot wound to the head, and that he had almost died himself.

Michael still felt guilt ridden about being unable to save his partner. He had taken the detective exam shortly after getting out of the hospital and had aced it with flying colors, effectively ending his days on patrol.

As he left the cemetery and headed home where his wife, daughter, and even his brother were, a homeless woman jumped in front of his car. He slammed on the brakes and the woman began banging his car with her cane. He carefully stepped out, hoping to diffuse the situation. The woman immediately turned around and stared at him.

"Three days!" the woman rasped. "Three days time you will be judged before god!"

She cackled madly and hobbled away.

**Did anyone pick up on the mention of a certain BAU character and his past in this chapter? I'd like to hear if anyone got it.**


	3. The Fears Of Men

**A/N: So I got more homework than time to complete it and I'm sick as a dog, but I managed to make this chapter a lot longer and update the story quicker like I had wanted, so my time hasn't been a complete loss. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3- The Fears Of Men**

_June 20__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

It had been two days since Michael had had that run in with the homeless woman on his way home to his family.

He didn't believe it was coincidence that it had happened. He wouldn't go so far to say he was superstitious, but between the trip to the cemetery and the profile looking at a pair of unsubs that had more than likely broken apart before the male partner began killing people with the bombs instead of effectively shutting down restaurants, he simply didn't believe it was coincidence despite the amount of time David Rossi was trying to tell him otherwise.

"Just promise me something, brother to brother," said Michael.

"We're gonna catch him. You, me, Bobby, Lou, and Hotch. We'll get him and then it'll be over," said Rossi.

"I still want you to promise me you'll look out for my wife and daughter, that you'll transfer to the Chicago Field Office if I wind up getting killed before Angie turns 18 and goes off to college," said Michael.

"I promise," said Rossi. "But nothing's gonna happen this time. We'll all be fine."

"It was probably mental defects from too much drug use, it wasn't like that woman knew who I was even though she correctly predicted Saturday, which according to you is when this freak will hit another restaurant," said Michael.

The two of them simply told themselves it was nothing. It would blow over and they wouldn't have to worry about Katherine and Angie being in the unsub's comfort zone.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Angie was listening to music in her bedroom and reading when she heard an odd noise in the hallway. When she went outside to see what had happened, she noticed that the AC unit in her parents' bedroom had managed to blow one of her uncle's folders outside, papers scattered throughout the hallway.

She hastily put them back in the folder but didn't look at them. For all she knew it was a case file and the FBI was always depicted as "Classified" in fiction for a reason.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi was drinking coffee when Angie walked up to him, carrying the folder that had over half of a manuscript on serial killers.

"Where did you find that?" said Rossi.

"Mom has the AC all the way up, I think it blew out of your suitcase," said Angie. "I didn't look at it but I don't think I put the papers back correctly."

"It's alright," said Rossi. "You're not going to ask? You're usually too curious for your own good Dolcezza."

"I thought profiling family members wasn't allowed," said Angie.

Rossi laughed, and Angie began giggling.

"I'm writing a book," said Rossi.

"About?" said Angie.

"Being a profiler," said Rossi. "I'd rather you not read it, it isn't finished yet."

"Okay," said Angie. "I still think it's awesome."

He didn't plan on letting her read it even when he was finished. Nothing in that manuscript was something a curious eleven-year-old would be able to look at without getting nightmares. Even at 42 he got nightmares from it all.

"Maybe you'll meet Kennedy Winchester!" said Angie.

"Who's that?" said Rossi.

"Writes these really scary books," said Angie. "I'll be right back."

She ran upstairs then came back down with a book called _The Bleeding House_. Rossi skimmed it and couldn't tell if the author was male or female. A picture would've been more helpful. Whoever had written this made Stephen King look tame, so he decided to assume the author was male due to the book's content and dropped the issue.

He had bigger fish to fry, like trying to figure out who was blowing up restaurants in Chicago because the sooner he caught the unsub, the sooner he could treat his brother, sister-in-law, and niece to dinner somewhere other than one of the many pizzerias that dotted the Windy City.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Hotch and Rossi were looking through case files of prior alcohol-related deaths when they saw a boy about Angie's age skateboarding outside.

Another one came out, then a third, then two more. There were five of them now. Michael came by and scowled.

"Those brats here again?" said Michael.

"Who are they?" said Rossi.

"Just some boys who live on the street," said Michael.

"I think they have a crush on your daughter," said Hotch.

"They better not, they're a bunch of goddamn fools and they're no good for her," said Michael. "I mean, look at them!"

Rossi and Hotch watched as the boys tried to outdo each other, one of them fell into a neighbor's rose garden in the process.

"Who wants to get the shotgun?" said Rossi.

Katherine came nearby, saw the boys, and shook her head.

"The three of you can breathe easy, she still thinks boys are gross," said Katherine. "Then again, since all of your friends make a mess of my kitchen, Michael, it's no wonder she still thinks that."

"So long as she has that mindset till she's forty we'll be fine, right Dave?" said Michael.

"Won't need a shotgun, that's for sure," said Rossi.

Everyone except Katherine laughed.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_June 21__st__, 1997. _

Rossi and Hotch were driving around the South Side, seeing if all the restaurants in the unsub's comfort zone had the amount of cops at each one that they wanted.

"I can't wait till this is over," said Hotch.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Michael, Bobby, and Lou were parked at an Asian Fusion restaurant when one of the chefs ran outside and began speaking in a mix of broken English and Cantonese.

"What is it?" said Michael.

"Kitchen! Man sneak outside after tampering with stove!" said the chef.

"I need you to listen to me," said Lou. "Did the man put a bomb in or on the stove?"

"Boom?" said the chef. "It counts down."

"Stay outside!" said Bobby.

The three cops ran inside. Lou ran for the kitchen while Michael and Bobby ran inside the dining area. After exchanging a look, they stood up on a table.

"This is the Chicago Police department," said Michael. "There is a fire in the kitchen. I want everyone to calmly exit the restaurant through the front."

"I don't see any flames," said a customer.

"It's a grease fire, they can't contain it," said Michael. "Just exit out the front."

Michael and Bobby jumped down.

"Bobby, make sure these people don't kill each other," said Michael.

"What are you doing?" said Bobby.

"Checking the rest of the restaurant," said Michael.

He saw several people exit the bathrooms and kitchen, and he went into the latter to see what Lou found.

"It's gonna go in fifteen minutes, I sent the kitchen staff out the back entrance," said Lou.

The two cops were about to leave when they heard a noise. Both of them drew their guns.

"It's coming from the basement," said Michael. "I'll check it out."

"And leave me with the bomb?" said Lou.

"You're the bomb guy," said Michael.

What he found in the basement shocked him.

Several young women in their late teens to early twenties, speaking rapid fire Japanese and Cantonese, all of whom wore very little clothing and were handcuffed to the walls.

"Sonofabitch," Michael muttered.

He ran back upstairs.

"Can you deactivate it?" said Michael.

"No," said Lou.

"Can you at least untie it from the stove and throw the damn thing outside?" said Michael.

"This bastard is the deadliest I've ever seen," said Lou. "I so much as touch the damn thing it'll go."

"Sex trafficking ring in the basement, they're all scared shitless and restrained," said Michael.

Lou stared at the timer.

"We got fourteen minutes," said Lou.

Michael grabbed the pickaxe near the fire extinguisher as he and Lou ran down to the basement to free the women.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

After Bobby cleared the restaurant and went outside, he noticed Michael and Lou weren't there. He immediately ran back inside and into the kitchen, where the bomb was reading that there were ten minutes left. Hearing a noise in the basement, he opened the door to see Michael and Lou freeing several women of their restraints downstairs.

"Both of you! This place is gonna go in ten minutes!" said Bobby.

"We got civilians down here!" said Michael. "Go back outside and make sure no one comes back in! And find that restaurant owner! I want some answers out of him!"

"Trafficking ring?" said Bobby.

"Yeah!" said Michael. "Now get out of here!"

"No!" said Bobby. "I can help!"

"I said get out!" Michael yelled.

Bobby left, feeling worse and worse with each step he took because he knew that Michael and Lou were dead men walking.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Minutes passed but for Michael and Lou, it felt like an eternity. Michael checked his watch and realized there was less than a minute left and they still hadn't freed all the women. He and Lou exchanged a grim look, knowing this was possibly it for them.

"I'll give it a try," said Lou. "We don't have anything to lose at this point."

After Lou went upstairs, Michael walked towards another woman.

He knew this was possibly going to be the last thing he was remembered for. He wondered if he would be labeled a hero or a martyr. Thoughts of Katherine and Angie clouded his brain and he felt tears going down his cheeks.

He didn't try to stop them because knew St. Jude wasn't going to be able to protect him this time.

That was his last thought before he saw a flash of light behind him and was thrown across the basement by an explosion.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Bobby had gotten everyone down the street when he heard it.

The restaurant was a fireball. He had called the fire department down a while ago and he watched them battle the blaze as he walked around, looking for Michael and Lou and calling their names.

They had to have gotten out. They couldn't still be in there… they couldn't.

When he found a spot that the firefighters had hit, he ran towards where the basement was and found Michael barely alive. His partner had been practically eviscerated by the blast.

"Michael! Damnit! I'm getting you outta here!" said Bobby.

Bobby tried to drag his partner out but a beam fell, pinning both men down.

"You can get out… save yourself," Michael rasped.

"You got a wife and a kid!" said Bobby.

"Tell them… I'm sorry… my St. Jude pendant… give it to Angie…" Michael rasped.

Michael handed the chain with the St. Jude pendant on it to Bobby, who took it and stuffed it in his pocket.

He edged himself out from under the beam and watched in horror as his partner gasped for air one last time before dying.

Bobby was about look for Lou when the fire flared up again, forcing him to flee.

He did so reluctantly.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

When Rossi and Hotch got the call about the restaurant blowing up, they didn't remember who was over there until Bobby walked over to them. He was covered in soot and blood.

"Are you injured?" said Rossi.

"It's not mine," said Bobby. "Michael and Lou were inside. Michael's dead. Lou… I don't know."

"What? Why didn't he get out?" Rossi yelled.

"There was a sex trafficking ring, several Asian women in the basement," said Bobby. "Michael and Lou found them and were trying to free them when I left. I counted five of them running out the back exit… my guess is they were still trying to free the rest when the bomb went off."

"The restaurant owner did this?" said Rossi.

"The sex trafficking ring, definitely," said Bobby. "There's the bastard. I'm gonna arrest him, now. Charging him with sex trafficking and an accessory to murder one."

Bobby took off and arrested the owner so fast he didn't know what hit him.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi watched as ten bodies were brought out. The last one looked to be male.

"Lift the sheet off that one so I can see his face," said Rossi.

"You don't have to do it here Rossi," said Hotch.

"Yes I do," said Rossi. "Lift the sheet up."

The autopsy tech did as instructed.

"That's Michael," said Rossi.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi, Hotch, and Bobby were headed to Michael's house to make the notification when Bobby pulled over near a liquor store.

"Did they ever find Lou?" said Bobby.

"Not exactly," said Hotch.

"What do you mean?" said Bobby.

"Shit," Rossi muttered.

"It looked like he was in the kitchen trying to disable it when it went off," said Hotch. "They found a burnt torso with his badge on it."

"I need a drink," said Bobby.

"Me too," said Rossi.

Bobby went inside and came back with a bottle of Jack Daniels. Rossi usually preferred Scotch, but he didn't care right now. Any whiskey would do well to take the edge off before they got to the house.

He sat in the back and took a few pulls off the bottle with Bobby as Hotch drove.

"I'll tell Katherine," said Bobby.

"I'll tell Angie," said Rossi.

Bobby handed Rossi the St. Jude pendant.

"He wanted her to have this," said Bobby.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Hotch entered the house behind Rossi and Bobby and sat on the couch. He couldn't believe this had happened.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Katherine, where's Angie?" said Rossi.

"Sleeping, it got late so I made her go to bed," said Katherine.

Rossi went upstairs. The moment he was on the second floor he realized Bobby must've told her because Rossi could hear Katherine screaming and crying. He knocked on Angie's door and sat in the hallway. Angie soon joined him, yawning and trying her best not to fall asleep again while she sat next to Rossi.

"What's going on?" said Angie. "Why did you wake me up?"

"We need to talk, Cara Mia," said Rossi.

"Okay," said Angie.

He took a deep breath. He couldn't lose it. Not now. He could already tell that Katherine wasn't going to be a source of strength for her daughter. He at least needed to stay strong for Angie's sake.

"The bomber blew up another restaurant tonight. Your father was inside trying to get some people out," said Rossi. "He – he died, Angela."

The way she reacted was more devastating to Rossi than Katherine's reaction downstairs. Angie's eyes quickly filled with tears, but she seemed to be in such shock from the news that they were unable to fall. It reminded Rossi of those stained glass windows in Catholic churches and the angels in them, how they always looked sad.

As he handed Angie the St. Jude pendant Michael had wanted her to have, Rossi noticed his niece looked like she was about to shatter at any moment. It broke his heart.

She went into her bedroom to put the St. Jude pendant away then came back out so quietly that Rossi wondered if the news of Michael's death had sent her into some sort of emotional shock.

"I – I need a hug," said Angie.

As the two of them shared a hug Rossi knew that even if Michael hadn't asked him to promise to stay in Chicago, he would've done it anyway.

Rossi could already tell that Katherine was wallowing in her grief and forgetting her responsibilities.

He couldn't leave Angie in Chicago to deal with this alone. She was like a daughter to him…

**TBC**


	4. What Remains Hidden

**A/N: It's official. My college life is becoming the bane of my existence where my writing is concerned. I still have a paper to complete, but I was closer to completing this chapter and I got extensions on a lot of stuff due to a bad snowstorm. I wouldn't call 5-6 inches bad, but my state , and my campus, lost power. I have it in my dorm for now. Cross your fingers and hope I stay lucky, guys. **

**One more thing. This is not by any means a crossover story, but I did insert a surprise in here. I hope you enjoy reading, and finding out what diabolical madness my muse has concocted.**

**Chapter 4- What Remains Hidden**

_June 22__nd__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

Rossi, Hotch, and Bobby found themselves poring over files at what had once been Michael's house.

"When are your parents coming?" said Bobby.

"Tonight," said Rossi. "I have to pick them up at O'Hare."

"How are they doing?" said Hotch.

"I'm not sure," said Rossi.

"Katherine and Angie?" said Hotch.

"Katherine is upstairs, either grieving or sleeping," said Rossi. "Angie's been up but she's in shock. She hasn't said a word all day."

"Jesus," said Bobby. "We gotta catch this guy. I don't know what we'll do if we don't. That reminds me… Hope wants to come over."

"Who?" said Hotch.

"My fiancée and the city's ADA," said Bobby. "Hope Dessaulles. The DA is in California on vacation, so she has to do his dirty work… including visiting with families of deceased officers when they're killed in the line."

"He won't even come back with two dead cops in the city?" said Hotch.

"No," said Bobby. "That's Chicago politicians for you. Not Hope, though. She does her best."

"Her name sounds French," said Rossi.

"She's French-Canadian but her mother was born in Detroit so Hope has dual citizenship," said Bobby. "That woman's a pistol. Agent Hotchner, could you do me a favor?"

"What do you need?" said Hotch.

"Make sure my death benefits go to her and my older sister if the unsub gets me. Fifty-fifty split for them both," said Bobby.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi was taking notes and wondered if Angie was watching him do so. He noticed her lying on the couch under a blanket and staring at the TV. The channel it was on was airing _The Godfather_. He sat in front of the couch, wondering if that would somehow get her to talk to him.

"Angie?" said Rossi.

"Mom hates me," said Angie.

"No she doesn't, she's just upset right now," said Rossi. "We all are."

"She's in the kitchen drinking," said Angie. "I asked if I could talk to her and she yelled at me to go away."

Rossi looked in the kitchen. Sure enough, he could see his sister-in-law drinking a large glass of vodka. He doubted it was the first glass Katherine had had either.

"That's because she's had too much to drink," said Rossi. "I'm not myself when I drink too much either."

"You aren't mean like she is," said Angie. "She yells at me all the time. What did I do to make her hate me so much?"

"No one hates you," said Rossi. "I brought my stuff with me so you wouldn't have to be alone."

He'd been through three wives and at times wasn't sure who his friends were – the success of being one of the three men to create the BAU had drawn a lot of pretentious people into his life. Even Rossi had lost sight of what was important until around the time Angie had been born and Michael had asked him to be her godfather.

He was convinced it was the best thing to have happened to him.

"Don't listen to her when she's talking like that," said Rossi. "You are my niece and you'll always be important to me."

"Thank you for sitting with me," said Angie.

"Don't mention it," said Rossi. "So… did I miss the scene in the restaurant?"

"It's about to happen," said Angie.

He took notes as he watched the shooting unfold on the TV. He knew he should tell Angie to turn the TV off, but it didn't seem to be bothering her.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

As the movie came to an end, a knock on the door got Rossi and Angie's attention. Rossi got up to answer it and Angie followed him.

"Uncle David! It's Agent Gibbs!" said Angie.

Rossi was surprised to see his old friend. Between how busy they both were it was difficult just to meet up in DC for a drink. Gibbs was one of the few people he knew had nothing to gain by using him, as Gibbs hated politics and bureaucrats. They had served in the marines together and had five failed marriages between them but he wouldn't be surprised if it turned into six.

Rossi knew that Gibbs hadn't moved on after the deaths of Shannon and Kelly. The women his friend was marrying were more of a type or a replacement, but Rossi doubted that any of it was genuine for Gibbs since all three wives after Shannon were redheads like her.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Introductions were made, and Gibbs soon took a bag into the kitchen.

"Do you mind?" said Gibbs.

"You're just gonna do it anyways," Katherine hissed.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and began brewing a cup of coffee.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi went into the kitchen.

"Think you can get your sister-in-law to drink a cup? Or five?" said Gibbs.

"Make it Irish, I don't need to be sober," Katherine muttered.

"Hope is coming in a few minutes. Drink the damn coffee Katherine," said Rossi.

"Like I wanna talk to that wench. All her stupid bullshit about how you guys will find him! And you! You dragged Michael into this and you say you're a good uncle to Angie? You're just a goddamn hypocrite who divorced his third wife for having a miscarriage!" Katherine yelled.

"You're the one who's so bent out of shape from growing up in foster care and having to fend for yourself. I get it. But yelling at Angie? What will that accomplish except to make her so angry that she'll try taking off? Do you know how many runaways I've seen dead in my line of work?" said Rossi.

"Stop it!" Katherine yelled. "I get it, okay? Please… just stop!"

Rossi turned to walk out then stopped.

"It wasn't a miscarriage," said Rossi.

Gibbs was so shocked he spit out some coffee as Rossi walked away.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

When Hope Dessaulles came over later, everyone was worried Katherine was going to lash out at her.

However, both women talked peacefully except for when the D.A. was brought up, because even Hope wasn't pleased with him.

"Michael always thought the D.A. was crooked," said Katherine.

"I swear that asshole is spending our tax dollars on wasteful pork," said Hope.

"What'll happen when the bomber is caught?" said Katherine.

"Either life in prison or the death penalty," said Hope.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi rolled his eyes. Categorizing the unsub only gave him more power, didn't his sister-in-law know that? Then again it wasn't like Katherine, a woman who taught in an inner-city high school, knew much about FBI jargon. From what Michael had told him Katherine had been trying to prevent warring teen gangs from killing each other.

Rossi decided to go outside and find Angie, who had gone out for a swim. At first he didn't see her, then saw her pop up from underneath the surface with one of those diving rings that people usually threw in the pool so they go could go under and grab them. Even though she was wearing goggles, he realized she saw him as she climbed out of the pool.

"I needed to be somewhere quiet," said Angie. "Is that bad?"

"No," said Rossi. "A lot has happened these last two days and you shouldn't have had to go through any of it."

Angie grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself so she wouldn't get the chair she was sitting on wet.

"Uncle David?" said Angie. "I don't know how to feel. Shouldn't I feel sad or angry? That's how I'm supposed to feel, right?"

"Grieving is complicated," said Rossi. "There's no right or wrong way to feel. Just know that you can always talk to me. I'll listen."

"Thank you Uncle David," said Angie.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi knew it was only a matter of time before the enormity of what Angie had lost hit her. It had been different when Shannon and Kelly had died. Angie had seen it on the news, and there had been no room for denial. She had been five at the time, and both girls had become close friends very quickly due to Rossi's own friendship with Gibbs.

It had been worse than anything he'd experienced overseas, and Rossi could still remember trying to help his good friend cope with losing his family, and help his niece cope with losing what had most likely been her best friend at the time. He could also remember how angry he'd been that he hadn't been allowed on the protective detail due to not being in NIS, because he didn't have to profile Gibbs to know why his friend went down to Mexico and what he had done down there.

Now it was worse.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

It all hit Angie at once that night.

Rossi was about to leave for the airport to pick up his parents when he heard crying. He turned around and saw Angie sitting on the stairs, her head in her hands and crying so hard she was shaking. He immediately ran upstairs to comfort her.

"Please don't go, please don't go," Angie whispered.

"You know I need to pick up your grandparents Angie," said Rossi.

He noticed her staring at the door. She was terrified.

"What is it?" said Rossi.

"Dad went out that door and didn't come back," said Angie. "N – now y – you're going out that door…"

"Only to the airport," said Rossi. "I'll be right back, Angela. I promise."

Angie still didn't look convinced, as tears streamed down her face and she looked up at Rossi with a face akin to that of a wounded puppy.

"Can I come? Please? I promise I'll behave," said Angie.

"You'll fall asleep in the car," said Rossi.

He knew she had barely slept in the aftermath of Michael's death. He suspected she was having nightmares about it.

Then again maybe she'd feel somewhat better if she got out of the house for a little while.

"You can come," said Rossi. "I don't want you to worry. Nothing's going to happen to either of us."

"I'm not worried about me," said Angie.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The ride to the airport was spent talking until Rossi noticed that Angie had gotten quiet. He looked over and noticed she had fallen asleep.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Picking up his parents at O' Hare went smoothly for the most part. An exhausted Angie woke up long enough to go into the airport with him then fell asleep in the car again, and the mood was so somber even Rossi was having difficulty keeping it together.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_June 23__rd__, 1997._

Rossi was annoyed. Over the last few days they had narrowed the suspect pool to twenty people based on the profile but even that was too many in his opinion. He wanted to bring in the unsub on the first arrest. They were currently using the owner of the Asian restaurant as a scapegoat to lull the unsub into a false sense of security.

It gave them time to narrow their list from twenty men to one man.

"We've done all we can for now," said Rossi. "A woman wants to come talk with us in an hour. She's a grief counselor and she thinks she knows who the man and the woman are."

"This better be the real deal," said Bobby. "I'm sick of this guy sitting out there somewhere and laughing to himself about all the pain he's caused. I've gone through hell too. I'm not blowing up buildings"

"We're going to get him Bobby," said Rossi.

"Her name is Sarah McKinley," said Hotch. "She runs a support group for people who have lost family members in drunk driving accidents. Dave wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't legit."

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi waited outside the precinct for Sarah McKinley to show up. When he did, he profiled her immediately. Mid to late fifties, salt and pepper hair, wedding ring, simple clothing, and a Chicago accent that told him she had been born in the city.

"Mrs. McKinley? I'm Agent Rossi, we spoke on the phone," said Rossi. "I'd rather we talk inside, a colleague of mine and a cop on the case would also like to speak with you."

"Alright," said Mrs. McKinley.

When they got inside, introductions were made and Mrs. McKinley insisted on being called Sarah.

"You do it to put people at ease, don't you?" said Hotch.

"Yes. I used to be a counselor at a high school, but I was counseling the students more on how to cope with losing their friends to drunk driving accidents than on how to fill out college applications," said Sarah. "I started the group in 1985 and I've been running it out of my apartment for the last 12 years. I've gotten people from all walks of life and I normally do what I can to keep the group discreet but these two haven't even been here in six months and my husband is a retired police officer. When I saw the news about those detectives, I knew I had to say something."

"Take your time," said Rossi. "Leave nothing out."

"Jonathan Myers is the man you're looking for," said Sarah. "He started coming to the group five years ago when his daughter died after her senior prom."

"What was her name?" said Rossi.

"Bailey Myers. He had to raise her all by himself. From what I know, she and her date doubled up with another couple and their car got T-boned by a group of boys from her school, the driver was so drunk he couldn't stand much less operate a vehicle. Both the boys in Bailey's car were killed instantly. The other girl suffered a broken leg," said Sarah.

"Bailey?" said Rossi.

"Thrown from the car and died at the scene. She was wearing a seatbelt but it was defective," said Sarah. "Paramedics worked on her for two hours but she never stabilized enough that they could get her to the hospital. She was only seventeen. Jonathan always said that when he talked about her."

"What does he do for work?" said Bobby.

"Construction, he does demolition," said Sarah. "I wonder if that's how he and Svetlana clicked as well as they did."

"Svetlana?" said Rossi.

"Svetlana Bunin, she came to me three years ago. She and her brother were out sailing and they were hit by some drunken college students operating a speedboat. Her brother died and she was in the hospital for two months. She was studying for her master's in biochemistry at the time and began dating Myers shortly after they met. I thought when they stopped coming six months ago, that they were planning their wedding. He asked her to marry him, she said yes," said Sarah. "I still can't believe what happened to her."

"What happened, Sarah?" said Rossi.

"She got involved with an amateur acting group to help deal with things, and the third act of the play called for the death of the character she was playing. The prop gun had a dummy bullet jammed in it from when it was being tested. She was shot in the chest and died in the hospital," said Sarah.

"When did this happen?" said Hotch.

"Few weeks ago," said Sarah.

She left a few minutes later when everyone deemed the information she had given was enough.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

After looking through the case files that corroborated Sarah's story, everyone realized Jonathan Myers fit the profile. He was a construction worker, and further digging revealed his real name was Doug Callahan, a member of the IRA that had supposedly died in a bombing in Belfast with his baby daughter Rose, and his wife had taken off after the baby was born. Svetlana had also fit the other part of the profile while she was alive.

This made the death of Bailey the major stressor and the death of Svetlana between the second and third bombings the secondary stressor.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi got back to the house and sighed. He had had an awful night, and he didn't really want to be here. He doubted Angie did either. He could see his parents trying to console each other. Katherine appeared withdrawn but wasn't being rude to anyone.

When he found Angie she was sitting in the living room playing Battleship with Gibbs. Gibbs later lost, and Angie took his coffee.

"That was a mistake," said Gibbs.

"What?" said Rossi.

"I bet my coffee and lost!" said Gibbs.

Angie took a sip, wrinkled her nose, and handed it back to Gibbs.

"You okay?" said Rossi.

"Too strong," said Angie. "It needs more sugar."

"No it doesn't," said Gibbs. "You'll like it better when you're older."

"Tell you what, Angie," said Rossi. "We'll go to Starbucks and you can pick something you'll like on our way to see _Batman & Robin_ tonight."

"Really? Tonight? I thought you were busy," said Angie.

"Hotch, Bobby, and I know who it is," said Rossi. "We're going to get him tomorrow."

"Why not tonight?" said Angie.

"The judge has to give me and the others a search warrant but it won't be ready until tomorrow," said Rossi.

"Ugh, Chicago politicians!" said Angie.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. If not for the somber circumstances surrounding them, Rossi would've laughed at his niece's disgust of the situation. He wasn't happy about it either.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

They went to a movie theater that was located towards the end of the South Side. Angie had a tight grip on the caramel frappuccino he had bought her at the Starbucks near the movie theater. She had thanked him several times and tried to down it fast until he told her it was a bad idea.

The two of them agreed on a large popcorn as they entered the movie theater. Angie was beginning to have trouble staying still as the coffee took effect. They went to the room where the movie would be playing and sat down in the back, knowing they'd have a better view of the screen if they did.

Angie calmed down and quietly rearranged her necklace because the dog tags and St. Jude pendant had somehow moved behind her neck.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

It was half way through the movie when it happened.

One of the teenaged ushers ran in, freaked out.

"We need to evacuate! There's a bomb in the theater!"

**TBC...**


	5. His Worst Nightmare

**A/N: Wow my brain officially short-circuited due to the power outage on campus to the point where homework is impossible. It's a ghost town here. a special thanks to Scottish Halo for helping me come up with a part towards the end of the chapter. **

**Chapter 5- His Worst Nightmare**

_June 23__rd__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

He didn't remember running out of the theater. He had been too concerned about Angie being trampled by the large amount of people running around in a panic.

At least they were out. He kept looking to make sure she was there, still not believing this had happened.

The movie theater wasn't a location that Myers would want to target, which told Rossi that Myers was either devolving or planning something bigger.

Rossi got Angie away from the crowds and called Hotch as he watched the bomb squad go into the building.

"Will they find it?" said Angie.

"I think so," said Rossi. "They have a lot of devices that help them do that."

The two of them sat on a bench as Hotch and Bobby arrived. Angie looked overwhelmed and upset by the night's events.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

It was about an hour later that Rossi was waved over by a member of the bomb squad. Hotch had arrived a while ago, and Rossi sent him over. Hotch came back with a piece of paper in his hands. The two agents tried to talk out of earshot of Angie.

"It was a fake," said Hotch. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know," said Rossi. "What's the note?"

Hotch handed it to Rossi, who read it.

_Gotcha this time, didn't I? See you next time, kids. That's when the fireworks will really go off._

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"What's going on?" said Angie.

"The unsub planted a fake bomb," said Rossi.

"Why would he do that?" said Angie.

"A chi fa male, mai mancano scuse," said Rossi.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

After everything was under control at the theater, Rossi, Hotch, and Angie went back to the house. As soon as Hotch went upstairs, Angie sat on the couch and began crying.

"I – I'm sorry Uncle David," said Angie. "I was scared."

"You don't need to apologize for feeling scared, Angie," said Rossi. "What happened back there was something that would scare most people."

"Even you?" said Angie.

"Yes," said Rossi.

The truth was he normally wasn't scared when it came to dealing with unsubs. This time Angie had been caught in the crosshairs. She could have been hurt or killed and that terrified him more than any unsub he would ever come across.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_June 24__th__, 1997._

Angie was playing Go Fish with her grandfather, Johnny Rossi, and trying on her black dress reserved for funerals, when Katherine and Marie Rossi, Angie's grandmother, realized Angie had gotten too tall to wear it.

"Angie, we need to get you a new dress for your father's wake and funeral," said Katherine.

"Mom, I don't want to go to the mall today," said Angie. "Can't we go tomorrow?"

"It can't be helped, sweetie," said Katherine. "You've grown out of your other black dress."

"No I haven't, it still fits," said Angie.

She stood up and turned around, trying to demonstrate to her mother and her grandmother that the dress fit.

She didn't want to go out. Not today. She wasn't even sure why she was so resistant to the idea. Angie usually loved going to the South Side Mall. It was like an adventure, looking at all the stores and observing the shoppers.

"Kneel down," said Marie.

Angie did as she was asked. Marie shook her head.

"Skirts are supposed to touch the ground when you kneel, Bambina," said Marie.

Angie looked down and sighed. The skirt hit her knees, but barely.

"Go change so we can go shopping, okay?" said Katherine.

"I'm coming with you," said Marie.

"If you go with her, who's gonna make my dinner?" said Johnny. "Besides, I want to finish this game of cards with my granddaughter."

Marie rolled her eyes.

"The two of you can finish your game, but then she needs to get ready to leave," said Katherine. "I'm not sure when Angie and I will be back, so eat when the two of you are hungry."

"What about David and that guy he's training?" said Marie.

"David and Agent Hotchner are raiding the bomber's house today after they get the warrant," said Katherine. "Hope called and told me she would personally give them the warrant so it wouldn't get 'lost'."

Marie looked confused.

"The politicians are dirty, Grandma," said Angie.

The women went into the kitchen.

"Grandpa, got any 2s?" said Angie.

"Shit," said Johnny.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Hope left the courthouse with the warrant in her hands and heard police sirens. Seeing Bobby in his police car, she walked over.

"You got it?" said Bobby.

"The ink hasn't even dried yet," said Hope.

"I love you," said Bobby.

He grabbed Hope and kissed her passionately. She returned the kiss, but they parted a few seconds later.

After all, they had to catch Myers first.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Bobby and Hope ran into the precinct, the latter clutching the warrant in her hand.

"Thought I'd bring it personally, I don't trust any of those assholes," said Hope.

"Then why are you still in Chicago?" said Rossi.

"Two months out of law school and I'm already an ADA in a major city, Agent Rossi," said Hope. "Wasn't gonna pass that up for anything."

"That's how my future wife does it," said Bobby. "Goes for the top and doesn't let anyone stand in her way."

"I'd actually like to marry you when this is all over so watch your back," said Hope.

They began kissing again until Rossi kicked Bobby, causing the couple to separate. Bobby had to drag Hope away before she could kick Rossi in the groin.

"You can maim him later, he has to go on the raid with Agent Hotchner and I," said Bobby.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Katherine and Angie entered the South Side Mall and went into various stores to try on clothes.

As they walked from one store to another they passed a portion of the mall that was under construction.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_Myers had just finished setting the bomb when he heard someone approach him from behind. _

_Out of the corner of his eye he noticed it was one of the security guards he had seen walking around the mall last night when he had slipped inside with everything he had needed to blow this building sky high._

_After all, there was a restaurant near one of the side entrances that served alcohol. He couldn't let that go and that security guard was about to ruin everything._

_Myers turned around and stabbed the guard. _

_As he pulled the knife out and the guard slumped to the floor dead, he saw the girl looking at him. She appeared to be eleven or twelve and had long brown hair in a ponytail._

_She was staring straight at him, her mouth open in an O of horror._

_Myers realized the girl had seen everything. He would have to find her and make sure she never left the mall. For now, he would drag the body out of sight of the rest of the shoppers._

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Mom! Mom!" said Angie. "Someone stabbed and killed a guy!"

She pointed where she'd seen everything happen. There was nothing there.

"Angela Dahlia Rossi, stop making stuff up," said Katherine. "I know you don't want to be here, but we need to check two more stores. Two more, and then we can leave."

"Promise?" said Angie.

"Promise," said Katherine.

_Rows of houses, all bearing down on me  
>I can feel their blue hands touching me<em>

Rossi, Hotch, and Bobby arrived at Myers' house and split up to find him. They didn't find Myers, but they did find what appeared to be the room he had constructed the bombs in. The bomb squad was picking up large amounts of C4, possibly from a bomb that had been planted at a new location.

The agents and Bobby found newspaper clippings of the car accident that had claimed Bailey's life, and the boating accident that had killed Svetlana's brother. Clippings of other accidents caused by drunk driving were also present, along with restaurants that had gotten citations for serving alcohol to minors.

Clippings of the restaurant bombings and the movie theater hoax were also present, along with the blueprints for each.

That was when Rossi noticed a blueprint that didn't have a newspaper clipping next to it. Instead, the date for the coming Saturday was crossed out and today's date had been penciled in.

"It looks like he downloaded these from the internet," said Hotch. "They're still detailed enough that he can use them."

Bobby came up behind them and looked at the blueprint.

"Shit!" said Bobby. "That's the South Side Mall! We gotta get down there before whatever he rigged blows the building straight to hell!"

_All these things into position  
>All these things we'll one day swallow whole<em>

Angie stood near the entrance to the dressing rooms waiting for her mother to come back when someone grabbed her and put a hand over her mouth. She saw the man's hair and realized it was the same guy she'd seen murder the security guard. Thinking fast, she bit his hand and tried to run.

The man was quicker. He grabbed Angie's hair with one hand but she didn't stop struggling until she felt something else – the cold end of a revolver's barrel against her hair.

"You pull a stunt like that again I'll shoot you in front of your mother," said Myers.

"What do you want?" Angie whispered.

"To escape the cops, and you're going to help me," said Myers.

He got Angie onto an elevator that went all the way down to the parking garage, this time holding the gun to her side so it wouldn't be as noticeable by passersby. As they walked, Angie looked around.

"Don't bother trying to escape," said Myers. "This gun has six bullets in it and I don't miss."

_And fade out again and fade out_

Katherine went back to the spot near the dressing rooms she had had asked Angie to wait at while she put some dresses away.

She couldn't see Angie anywhere.

She contemplated calling Dave, but she knew he'd chew her out for allowing Angie to go missing.

Missing? How did Katherine even know that? Maybe Angie had gotten annoyed and run off… No. Angie didn't behave like that and something told Katherine that her daughter was in danger.

_This machine will, will not communicate  
>These thoughts and the strain I am under<em>

They walked a short distance to another elevator. Myers pressed the button for the third floor, wanting the elevator at the top floor and the mall was only three stories. He pressed a button to jam the elevator then shot the button out to make sure the elevator was permanently stuck and that Angie wouldn't be able to escape.

"Don't even bother calling for help," said Myers. "They haven't installed the radio system yet."

He then left the elevator through a hatch. When he was out, he closed the hatch and made sure it was locked before crawling into the hatch of another elevator and making his way back to the mall.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Katherine was running through the mall calling Angie's name when she literally ran into a man walking the opposite path she was.

"Have you seen my daughter?" said Katherine.

She took Angie's picture out of her wallet.

"She looks like this," said Katherine.

"Yeah I have," said Myers. "I'll take you where I saw her, she was in the electronic store and you can't get in through the front because they're doing construction in the front. There's a back entrance outside."

Katherine nodded and left with Myers.

_Be a world child, form a circle  
>Before we all go under<em>

Angie looked around. There were windows in the elevator, so she could see outside. She realized she was on the side of the mall undergoing construction. She could hear power tools and saw steel beams protruding from the building.

As she looked around the elevator, she realized the man who had kidnapped her hadn't been lying. The radio system wasn't installed yet. There was simply a hole in its place.

Angie was about to bang on the windows when she saw something in the hole that looked like a phone. She pulled it out. It was a two-way radio.

She tried turning it on and realized it worked so she quickly changed the channel to the one she knew the Chicago PD used.

_And fade out again and fade out again_

Myers led Katherine outside to the parking lot in front of the mall.

"She wouldn't come out here! What did you do to her?" Katherine yelled.

She tried to slam him against a car, but Myers stabbed her in the heart.

"I… I hope he kills you…" Katherine whispered.

Myers pulled the knife out as Katherine breathed her last and tossed her body to the ground. Hearing sirens, he ran.

_Cracked eggs, dead birds  
>Scream as they fight for life<br>I can feel death, can see its beady eyes_

Rossi, Hotch, and Bobby sped into the South Side Mall parking lot and jumped out of the car. Bobby jumped out so fast he forgot to take the keys out of the ignition.

"How much time do we have?" said Hotch.

"I don't know," said Rossi. "Bomb squad can't disable it even if we find it. Our best bet is to evacuate as many people as we can."

"Shit!" said Bobby. "We have a body!"

The three of them ran over and realized in horror it was Katherine.

"Damnit!" said Bobby.

As Rossi walked towards the patrol car to call his parents and notify them of Katherine's death, his two-way crackled.

"Can anyone hear me?" said a voice. "A – a man kidnapped me and locked me in an elevator on the third floor of the South Side Mall. I – I'm trapped and I can't get out."

Rossi felt the color drain from his face. He knew that voice. It was Angie.

"Angela? Is that you?" said Rossi.

"I'm sorry, Uncle David. I – I know you're busy, trying to catch the guy who killed Dad," said Angie.

This couldn't be happening. Not again. Eighteen years had passed since he lost James.

No. Not Angie. He couldn't lose Angie too.

"I'm never too busy for you, Angie," said Rossi. "Y – you've meant more to me than the BAU since the day you were born."

He got into the car, shut the door, and thanked the big man upstairs that Bobby was stupid enough to leave the key in the ignition.

"I'm in the parking lot. Tell me where you are, I'm coming," said Rossi.

"Side where they're doing construction on the mall. The elevator has windows, I'll be able to see you," said Angie.

He hit the gas and sped around the corner, not caring that Bobby and Hotch were chasing him on foot.

As soon as he got to that side of the mall, he jumped out of the car. The two-way went off.

"I see you!" said Angie.

He looked up and was able to see her. He also saw a crane with a bucket attached to it. All he had to do was flash his credentials at the guy operating it and get hoisted up there.

"I'm going to get you out of there," said Rossi.

He immediately walked towards the crane.

_All these things into position  
>All these things we'll one day swallow whole<em>

Suddenly a huge explosion reverberated throughout the entire mall.

Rossi, Hotch, and Bobby were thrown several feet. Rossi's two-way landed a few inches away from him.

An elevator stopped at the third floor of the mall plummeted all the way down to the parking garage and crash landed after its cables snapped during the explosion.

_And fade out again and fade out again_

It didn't take long for Rossi to come around.

When he did, he saw that the bomb Myers planted had been enough to reduce the mall to rubble. Only a small part of the building was still standing.

It wasn't the part where he had spotted Angie.

That entire side was gone, and fires had sprouted up in its place. He found his two-way and grabbed it.

"Angie? It's me," said Rossi.

The two-way was silent. Knowing that she was possibly hurt or worse was killing him.

All he wanted was an answer.

"Angie! Please answer, I need… I need to know that you're okay," said Rossi.

She never answered.

**Song is Street Spirit (Fade Out) by Radiohead. Translation for what Rossi said in the beginning is 'Who does evil, is never short of excuse.'**


	6. Anything For Family

**A/N: Homework is driving me crazy, so even though I still have things to do, I had to take a fanfiction break... because I made myself sick. As in, passed out on a couch while waiting for a class to start earlier this week. I'm not surprised at this, a couple profs of mine have been sick as well. I'm feeling better now, and I hope you guys enjoy this because writing in this fandom is quite a comfort for me considering the hectic chaos that is currently my life.**

**Chapter 6- Anything For Family**

_June 24__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

Rossi ran towards the rubble. That was when someone grabbed him.

"Dave! You can't go in there!" said Hotch.

"My niece is trapped down there Aaron!" said Rossi. "I'm not going to just stand here and do nothing about it!"

"I called for backup when we were speeding down here, I told them to send everyone," said Bobby. "That means rescue crews are coming down here."

"I'm going down there now," said Rossi.

"That's not a good idea, you might get hurt," said Hotch. "None of us have the right gear to get down there."

"I don't care," said Rossi.

As he turned around Bobby took out his handcuffs and cuffed Rossi to the police car. Realizing that the situation was going to escalate due to Angie's predicament and Rossi's temper, Hotch made a phone call.

"This is Agent Hotchner, you need to get down to the South Side Mall and talk to Dave," said Hotch. "I can't say why over the phone, just drive down here as fast as you can."

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"What the hell is wrong with you?" said Rossi. "Uncuff me now!"

"Both her parents are dead! It won't do her any good if you get yourself killed trying to play the hero!" said Bobby.

"That's real funny coming from you! If you hadn't let my brother get himself killed Katherine would still be alive and Angie would be safe at home!" Rossi yelled.

"For all either of us know it might already be too late," said Bobby.

Rossi was so upset the only response he had was to punch Bobby in the nose. It made a loud cracking sound as blood spurted out all over Bobby's shirt.

"Shit!" Bobby yelled.

"Tilt your head up and give me the keys to your handcuffs," said Hotch.

Bobby did as Hotch ordered. As Hotch uncuffed Rossi, backup began to arrive for the bombing and the backup he had personally called himself.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The first thing Gibbs saw was chaos. Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, triage set-up.

What bothered him most were the bodies. They reminded him of the times he had fought for his country. Fallen soldiers, fallen civilians who hadn't wanted to die but had been caught in the crossfire anyway.

When he got to where Rossi was, he had no idea why his friend had that look on his face but he knew it had to be something major. The last time he had seen someone look so broken, that someone had been himself after the deaths of his wife and daughter.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

When Rossi stood up and saw Gibbs he wondered how his friend had known to come here.

"What are you doing here?" said Rossi.

"Your probie called but didn't say anything over the phone," said Gibbs.

"Katherine is dead, Angie is trapped," said Rossi. "I don't… I don't know how or where she is."

Something then fell near the men. It was part of the mall and a body, which Hotch quickly determined was a construction worker.

"Where the hell is rescue? They should be down here!" said Rossi.

Hotch noticed a weird look on Bobby's face.

"What is it?" said Hotch.

Bobby walked away so Rossi couldn't hear what they had to say.

"He's right. They should be down here. I don't know why they aren't," said Bobby. "We should find out why. You think Gibbs can keep Rossi in line until we get back?"

"Yeah," said Hotch.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"I won't just stand here while you try telling me to wait for the rescue crews to descend down there," said Rossi.

"Wasn't going to, but we need the right equipment," said Gibbs.

Rossi nodded. At least Gibbs was on his side.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Hotch and Bobby went to the front of the mall and noticed people were running in through the front, but they weren't sending anyone to the side that had been under construction when the bomb exploded. Finding the man who appeared to be in charge, Hotch went over and explained the situation.

"We can't send anyone down there," said the man. "The entire structure is too unstable. If someone is trapped down there… they're probably dead."

Bobby cursed and took off.

"You can't at least try?" said Hotch.

The man shook his head. Hotch felt queasy at the prospect of telling Rossi this.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Bobby looked at the two sets of rescue gear.

He didn't need to think. He grabbed them and ran back to where Rossi and Gibbs were.

"Where the hell is the goddamn cavalry?" said Gibbs.

"They're chicken," said Bobby. "Angie told me a lot about the two of you. Said you both used to be in the marines."

He gave them each the rescue gear he nabbed from the site.

"You're not coming?" said Rossi.

"Someone has to distract Hotch," said Bobby. "Let me know how she is, in case I need to hunt down any paramedics."

Bobby watched Rossi and Gibbs descend down a gaping hole. Hotch returned a few moments later.

"Where are they?" said Hotch.

"Gibbs took Rossi to get coffee, they just left," said Bobby.

The two men sat down and waited for something to happen. Neither of them knew what would happen next.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Once Gibbs and Rossi got to the bottom, they realized they were in the parking garage. They knew the damage had been severe, but they hadn't known it would be this bad. As they looked for Angie, they realized there was more space than they could cover if they stayed together.

"We should split up," said Rossi. "We'll cover more ground that way."

"Be careful," said Gibbs.

Both men took off in separate directions.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

As Rossi climbed further down to look for any of the elevators, he remembered the day Angie was born.

FLASHBACK

_July 25__th__, 1985._

_Chicago, IL._

_Rossi walked up to the door of the delivery room. To say he was angry would be an understatement. Michael walked out, laughing._

"_Don't get angry at me too long, I don't wanna miss the birth," said Michael._

"_I can't believe you think this is funny. You put eye drops in my drink so I would be stuck in the bathroom, hid my suitcase, and made me miss my flight. Is there a reason you're acting like a child when you're about to have one?" Rossi yelled._

"_You're the profiler, you tell me," said Michael._

"_Michael! You get back in here or I cut off your little friend!" Katherine yelled._

_Michael laughed and turned to his brother._

"_Coming?" said Michael._

"_No, I'm going to the cafeteria to get some coffee," said Rossi. "Just let me know when the kid's out so I can get back to Washington."_

"_Asshole," said Michael._

_Rossi rolled his eyes and went to buy coffee. He knew exactly what his younger brother had tried doing, and he refused to let it work. _

_Losing James had been too much. Even six years later the pain was still fresh and the thought of becoming attached only for tragedy to possibly strike again made the profiler sick._

_**10 Hours Later**_

_Rossi was flirting with a nurse when Michael ran up. He was paler than Casper._

"_We gotta talk," said Michael._

_Not knowing what to think except that Katherine and the baby were dead, Rossi followed his brother._

"_The baby is healthy," said Michael. "It's Katherine. She began bleeding out shortly after the delivery, and the doctors had to rush her to surgery. I… I don't know where I should be right now. I got paperwork to fill out, because the doctors said she might need a hysterectomy but I got a daughter in the nursery right now 'cuz I was an idiot and never called our parents to come down for the birth. I was more concerned with how you would bond with her… which was why I slipped eye drops into your coffee and all the other crap."_

"_It's alright. Just take me to the nursery and show me which baby it is," said Rossi. "Have you named her yet?" _

_They walked to the nursery. Rossi could see babies screaming and a few others sleeping through the noise._

"_First name is Angela. Middle name Katherine and I haven't decided on yet," said Michael. "You got any ideas?"_

"_Dahlia," said Rossi._

"_That's not funny," said Michael._

"_I'm serious," said Rossi._

"_It does sound good. Angela Dahlia Rossi it is," said Michael. _

_The brothers walked to the crib where Angela was. She looked like she was about to cry but calmed down when Michael picked her up._

"_I gotta fill out some paperwork for your mom, Principessa," said Michael. "I'm gonna hand you to your uncle David for a little while until I get back."_

_Rossi was unable to say anything before his niece was handed to him and Michael left. He sat in a nearby rocking chair and talked to her, hoping she wouldn't start crying until Michael got back because Rossi had no idea what to do. _

"_Your father seems to think he's funny, Angela," said Rossi. "He loves pulling pranks on your uncle. We'll have to get back at him one day when you're older."_

_He couldn't help but notice she already had a full head of hair, a trait she had definitely gotten from the Rossi family._

_He hadn't realized an hour had passed until Angela began to whimper because she was hungry, so he had to hunt down one of the nurses to get him a bottle. Angela greedily sucked down the baby formula._

"_Slow down, Bambina. You're going to make yourself sick," said Rossi._

_The nurse returned a few moments later and chuckled._

"_You're very good at this," said the nurse. "How many others do you have?"_

"_I'm her uncle. My sister-in-law had some problems, so my brother is with her," said Rossi._

"_Your voice appears to be keeping her calm," said the nurse._

_The nurse went to tend to the other babies. Angela made a cooing sound._

"_You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me?" said Rossi._

_Angela cooed again and attempted to reach for the dog tags Rossi wore around his neck._

"_I'll tell you about those when you're older," said Rossi._

_That was when it hit him. For the first time in years, he felt happy._

END FLASHBACK

_June 24__th__, 1997._

He aimed his flashlights at two of the defunct elevator shafts and saw nothing. When he aimed his flashlight into the third one, he noticed something was reflecting off the light. He aimed the flashlight at the spot where something had begun reflecting off the light.

"Is anyone down there?" Rossi yelled.

That was when he saw them. His dog tags.

"Angela?" said Rossi.

He heard a whimpering sound coming from the elevator. It was Angie's voice, Rossi was sure of it.

He immediately began to climb into the elevator as fast as he could. Once inside he waved his flashlight around, hoping to find her quickly.

He found her a few seconds later and ran over.

His heart sank when he saw her lying motionless on the floor and covered in blood. Her eyes were closed and one of her arms was bent at an odd angle.

"Angie, wake up," said Rossi. "I know that was you earlier… please, you have to wake up so I can stop worrying so much."

Nothing happened.

**TBC...**


	7. Darkest Hour

**A/N: Homework and finals were awful! The blackout caused everything to get crunched together. But I survived. Unfortunately, this update is way behind schedule. I'm worried I might have lost readers due to the complications with my academic life. I hope you guys are lurking out there somewhere and enjoying this.**

**Chapter 7- Darkest Hour**

_June 24__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

Johnny was flipping through the channels when he passed a news station.

"Go back," said Marie.

He went back to the news station.

"_Police are saying that possible foul play by the same suspect responsible for the bombings of several restaurants in the South Side is what led to the explosion of the South Side Mall earlier this afternoon. Several people are still trapped in the building and the number of fatalities is unknown at this time…"_

Johnny turned off the TV and exchanged a look with his wife.

They both knew that Katherine and Angie had been at the mall.

"What are we going to do?" Marie whispered.

"We won't be able to get down there, too much traffic," said Johnny. "We'll have to call Olivia."

They sat on the couch and hugged, scared for their daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

Johnny then went to the kitchen and dialed a number. He knew David should have done this after Michael died, but he knew his son never would've had the heart to do it.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_Cape Cod, MA._

For the past few days, something had felt off to Olivia Rossi. She wasn't sure what it was, but the only times she had had feelings like this were when her family was in trouble.

That was when her phone rang. She frowned. She and her partner had decided to take their children on vacation. Only her parents knew that. What could have happened for them to call?

Shaking, she picked up the phone.

"Dad? What is it?" said Olivia.

"Michael is dead, Katherine and Angela are in trouble," said Johnny. "You need to come to Chicago as soon as possible."

"Where's David?" said Olivia. "I want to speak to him."

"He's trying to help Katherine and Angela," said Johnny. "Please fly down here. Your mother needs you."

"Okay. I'll be on the next flight out," said Olivia.

Her hands shook as she ended the call.

"We need to get back to Boston, and I have to go to Chicago. Michael's dead, and I have a bad feeling that's only the beginning," said Olivia.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_Chicago, IL._

Throughout his career at the BAU, Rossi had stared down the worst of humanity and been in more deadly situations than he cared to count. Not once had he been scared.

The only time he had been scared was this case. It had been too close to his family in the city. Now his brother and sister-in-law were dead. Angie didn't appear to be moving… was she gone, too?

He heard a small cough. It was Angie.

"Angie? Can you hear me?" said Rossi.

She slowly opened her eyes and gasped.

"Uncle David?" said Angie. "You shouldn't be down here…"

"I used to be a marine," said Rossi. "I wasn't trained to sit around and be patient."

Angie attempted to laugh but began coughing again.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, but you gotta take it easy alright?" said Rossi.

"Okay," said Angie. "My arm and my leg hurt."

He looked and noticed one of her legs appeared to be broken.

"I think they're broken," said Rossi.

"Being impatient… that why Mom doesn't like you? She doesn't understand…" said Angie. "You… your job is important…"

"So are you," said Rossi.

Angie smiled. Rossi heard someone shouting and realized it was Gibbs.

"We're down here!" Rossi yelled. "Tell Bobby!"

He could hear Gibbs fussing with the two-way.

That was when he saw the look on Angie's face. It was one of extreme pain.

"Is it your arm or your leg?" said Rossi.

"It – it's everything," said Angie. "Uncle David?"

"Yeah?" said Rossi.

"Will you stay with me?" said Angie.

"I'm not going anywhere Cara Mia," said Rossi.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Bobby had gotten Gibbs' call over the two-way. He found a pair of paramedics, Kurt and Cynthia, who he knew were crazy enough to attempt to get someone out of a collapsed building. They had done it before a few years ago to save a child, and Bobby knew he could get them to do it again.

He didn't even have to finish telling them about Angie before the three of them were going into the hole Bobby had seen Rossi and Gibbs go into earlier.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

He wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd gotten down there. An hour, maybe two at the most.

He noticed that Angie's breathing had become very shallow. It scared him.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," Angie whispered.

"What are you talking about?" said Rossi.

"I'm not in pain anymore," Angie whispered.

Rossi heard crackling on his two-way. It was Bobby.

"Uncle David? I'm tired…," Angie whispered. "I – I need to rest."

"Not right now Angie," said Rossi. "You need to stay awake."

"Okay," Angie whispered.

"Bobby just said on the two-way that the paramedics are coming," said Rossi. "We'll be out of here soon."

She began coughing again. This time the coughing was so bad her whole body shook until the coughing subsided.

"I miss Dad," Angie whispered.

"I miss him too," said Rossi.

"Will… will he… be waiting… in heaven… for me?" Angie whispered.

"Don't talk like that," said Rossi. "You're only eleven, Angela. You know what happens in four weeks?"

"My birthday," Angie whispered.

"I already bought your present," said Rossi.

"What is it?" said Angie.

"It's supposed to be a surprise," said Rossi.

"Okay," Angie whispered.

Rossi heard a noise. It was footsteps and Gibbs' voice, and they appeared to be getting closer.

"Bobby's here with the cavalry!" Gibbs yelled.

"You hear that, Angie?" said Rossi. "We're gonna get you out."

She looked at her uncle and smiled.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Olivia grabbed her suitcase off the luggage carousel and ran to the nearest payphone she could find. Her plane had just landed and she needed to call a cab. When that was finished she called her parents.

"Dad?" said Olivia.

"Olivia?" said Johnny.

"I'm in Chicago. I just got off the plane. What's going on?" said Olivia.

"We don't know. Katherine and Angela were shopping at the South Side Mall. It exploded. I don't know if they're dead or alive. Marie and I can't get a hold of David, either," said Johnny.

"Christ! I called a cab, I'll be there soon!" said Olivia.

"Are Juliet and the kids with you?" said Johnny.

"No, I wanted to figure out what was going on first," said Olivia. "I'll send them tickets when we know something."

They ended the call and Olivia called Juliet.

"What's going on Luvie?" said Juliet.

"I don't know. Katherine and Angie might be… I don't want to think about it, Jules. I just can't," said Olivia. "I'll call you later."

They ended the call and Olivia walked outside just as her cab pulled up. After giving the driver directions, she headed to the house her brother Michael had once occupied while alive, and into a world of uncertainty.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

They had gotten Angie out of the elevator shaft, but it hadn't been easy.

Now Kurt and Cynthia were strapping Angie to a backboard and trying to stabilize her so they could get her out of the collapsed mall and into an ambulance. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth and an IV had been inserted in her right arm.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

She was aware that they were lifting her through a hole.

She knew she was out when she saw the sky.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

It was chaos when they got to an ambulance. Gibbs and Bobby stayed outside but Rossi jumped into the back with Angie. Cynthia splinted Angie's left arm and right leg then wrapped bandages around Angie's head as Kurt sped off.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Where's he taking us?" said Rossi.

"Children's Memorial Hospital," said Cynthia.

Angie moaned in pain as she looked around the ambulance.

"You've been very brave, Angie. Just gotta hang in there a little longer," said Rossi. "We're almost there."

"Veronica… Nick…," Angie whispered.

His heart sank at the thought of his sister's children. Veronica and Nick were more like Angie's siblings than her cousins. Nick was only five. Would he even grasp what was going on?

"I'll tell them what's going on," said Rossi. "I'm sure your grandparents already told Aunt Olivia."

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"I don't believe this!" said Olivia.

"Calm down," said Johnny. "You'll upset your mother."

"She doesn't know anything! Neither do I!" said Olivia. "For all we know David is dead too! When did he even call last?"

"He hasn't. He left for the precinct this morning," said Johnny.

"I'm going down to the mall. See if I can find him," said Olivia.

"No!" said Marie. "You'll die!"

"Would that have bothered you 23 years ago?" said Olivia.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" said Marie.

"You know damn well what it means. You both do!" said Olivia.

"It took us time to adjust," said Johnny. "We're sorry."

"What the hell am I supposed to tell my kids? Veronica is too smart for her own good. If they're all dead I won't be able to keep it from her. Nick won't even know what's going on," said Olivia. "I want to protect my babies from this and I can't."

She left. She needed to know what was going on.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The ambulance pulled up to Children's Memorial. The paramedics jumped out and wheeled Angie into the emergency room. Rossi followed.

"What do we have?" said a doctor.

"11-year-old female, was trapped in an elevator when the South Side Mall blew," said Kurt.

Everyone was grim. They knew the place had been bombed, but they were trying not to cause a panic. They had a critically injured girl to take care of.

"On my count," said the doctor. "One. Two. Three."

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Olivia Rossi was used to chaos. Her life had been full of it when she was younger and coming to terms with who she was and what she wanted out of life.

This wasn't chaos. This was a tragedy, and no one knew it yet.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arguing of three men. She could recognize Gibbs and Bobby, but not the third man. As she got closer she realized they were arguing about David.

"I called you so he wouldn't go down there!" the third man yelled.

"Damnit, Probie! What did you think he was gonna do, let her die?" Gibbs yelled.

"What's done is done, okay?" said Bobby. "They probably took her to Chicago Memorial. Let's go there first."

"That's a children's hospital, right?" said Olivia. "What's going on? Katherine? Angela? David? Tell me everything, starting with the identity of 'Probie'."

"He's Aaron Hotchner, he's with the BAU. Dave brought him," said Gibbs. "Agent Hotchner, this is Olivia Rossi. She's David's older sister."

"Katherine is dead. The suspect we're looking for killed her," said Hotch.

"No!" said Olivia.

"Angela was caught in the bombing, and she was being transported to a hospital last I saw," said Hotch.

"How bad?" said Olivia.

Hotch didn't answer at first.

"I'm a doctor, Agent Hotchner. I saw the bodies when I arrived, I'm sure it's bad. Just tell me," said Olivia.

"She was trapped in an elevator when the building went down," said Hotch.

Olivia blinked several times to keep the tears in her eyes from running down her face. She knew the injuries Angie had sustained were probably severe at best, fatal at worst.

"No. Not Angela," Olivia whispered.

"Your brother pulled a Rambo and went down there," said Hotch.

"Did he hurt himself?" said Olivia.

"No," said Bobby. "He went in the ambulance with Angie. Children's Memorial Hospital."

"Of course he did it," said Olivia. "My brother might talk a big game about how the BAU is his only purpose in life, but my children, and Angela… he'd drop everything if he thought they were in trouble. When I was in trouble, David and Michael were always there for me. They could've turned their backs on me but they didn't. They always accepted me and I'll never forget it."

The four of them took off for Children;s Memorial, unsure of what they would find when they arrived.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi was pacing outside one of the triage rooms when heard people running. It was Gibbs, Bobby, Hotch… and Olivia. His sister had flown in from Boston.

"How…?" said Rossi.

"Mom and Dad called," said Olivia. "How's Angie?"

"They've been trying to stabilize her so they can operate on her," said Rossi. "I got no clue what all those terms are they kept saying. All I can tell is that she looks scared."

"Just go in. If someone objects signal for me and I'll give them hell," said Olivia.

Rossi went inside. He tried not to look at everything Angie was hooked up to. He worried he'd either lose his breakfast or control of his emotions.

He couldn't do that. Not now. He had to be strong for her.

"Are you David Rossi?" said a nurse.

"Yeah," said Rossi.

"She's been asking for you," said the nurse. "Dr. Harlow will explain everything after we bring her to the OR, but we'll let you have a few minutes."

"Uncle David?" Angie whispered.

"I had to give the doctors room to work but I'm here now," said Rossi.

"I'm glad," said Angie. "Is Aunt Olivia outside? I thought I saw her."

"Yeah she's here," said Rossi. "You want to see her too?"

"Just you," Angie whispered. "I wanted to tell you something."

"Okay. What is it?" said Rossi.

"Don't tell Mom, she'll get mad," said Angie. "Promise?"

"I promise," said Rossi.

"You and Dad… were the reason I – I wanted to go into law enforcement," Angie whispered.

Why was she talking in past tense? Was it because Michael was dead or was she slipping away right in front of him? The thought of it made Rossi sick.

"You'll have a chance when you're older if you still want to," said Rossi.

"You won't be mad if I do it?" said Angie.

"No. If it's what you want I'll support your decision every step of the way," said Rossi.

"You're the best, Uncle David," said Angie. "I – I love you. Be careful."

Her eyes closed.

Seconds later David Rossi heard a noise more frightening than anything he had ever heard in his life.

It was Angie's heart monitor, and the line was flat…

**Three cliffies in a row. I think that's a record for me, writing this fandom is bringing out some angsty parts of my muse I didn't know existed. But I'm on winter break, with nothing to distract me from this story. So I plan to post chapter 8 very soon, as I've had some bad news recently and writing is a great distraction from such sadness.**


	8. Ghosts From The Past

**A/N: I love having no classes. It helps me update quicker. **

**Chapter 8- Ghosts From The Past**

_June 24__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

It had only taken a few seconds for everything to unravel right before David Rossi's eyes.

A minute ago he had been talking to Angie.

Now he was watching from outside the trauma room she was in as the doctors desperately tried to revive her.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Dr. Harlow grabbed the paddles.

"Charge to 300. Clear!" he shouted.

The girl on the gurney didn't respond.

"Resume compressions," said Dr. Harlow.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Olivia Rossi had discovered she was a lesbian almost 30 years ago and had had to deal with a lot of backlash ever since.

As a result, any situation that was unjust or beyond her control that backed her into a corner… she would often go at everyone around her, save her remaining brother, with both barrels.

"What are you looking at, Agent Hotchner?" Olivia yelled.

"Nothing," said Hotch.

"Don't you and Bobby have that asshole to catch?" said Olivia.

"Yeah," said Hotch.

"Then what the hell are the two of you doing here?" Olivia yelled.

Both men took off. Olivia turned to Gibbs.

"Please get my parents," said Olivia.

Gibbs was too busy drinking his coffee. He needed a distraction. He couldn't watch what were possibly Angie's last moments. It reminded him too much of the loss of Shannon and Kelly.

However, Olivia had no patience.

She knocked the coffee out of Gibbs' hand. The hot brown liquid spilled everywhere.

All Gibbs saw in Olivia's eyes were fear and anger. Those emotions were a far cry from the normally confident woman he had known for over 20 years.

"Just do it. Please? It's bad and they need to be here," Olivia whispered.

Gibbs left.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

1979… 1997… 1979… 1997… the numbers were switched around but for Rossi the horror was the same.

He tried to take his notepad from his coat pocket but his hands were shaking so much that he couldn't so it. He wasn't even sure why he wanted it in the first place.

"I sent them away, David," said Olivia. "It's just you and me."

"It's been nearly 20 years since James died… I – I can't go through that again. Angie might only be my niece but I love her like she was my own," said Rossi. "All I cared about was the bureau and getting ahead. Then Michael asked me to be Angie's godfather after she was born… damnit Ollie I didn't even want to get close in the first place. I didn't want to get hurt again."

He felt tears fill his eyes and cause his vision to blur. He let them fall.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Dr. Harlow grabbed the paddles.

"Charge to 360. Clear!" he shouted.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_The first thing Angie noticed was that she was standing in the country somewhere._

_It was quiet. For the first time that day, Angie didn't feel scared. She felt peaceful._

_That was when she saw her parents. _

"_Mom? Dad?" said Angie._

"_Right here, Angela," said Katherine._

"_You gotta go back, Principessa," said Michael._

"_What are you talking about?" said Angie._

_Two more figures walked over. One was a 13-year-old girl, the other an 18-year-old boy._

"_You might not recognize me, but I had to change my appearance so you wouldn't want to stick around," said the girl._

"_Kelly?" said Angie._

"_Told you she'd get it," said the boy._

"_Who are you?" said Angie. _

"_Your guardian angel," said the boy. _

_Angie immediately looked at her father, Kelly, and the boy. _

"_Am I dead? I don't want to be dead!" said Angie._

"_You have a choice," said the guardian angel._

"_You guys didn't? Mom? That must mean… no," said Angie._

"_I'm sorry, Angela. About everything," said Katherine._

"_We all love you, but we'd prefer to see you again when you're old and have stories to tell that top that crazy brother of mine," said Michael._

_The guardian angel laughed. Kelly giggled and gave the guardian angel a peck on the cheek._

_Slowly Angie's parents and Kelly waved good-bye as they faded away. The guardian angel pointed toward a light._

"_Run there, and don't look back. You'll be where you want to be," said the guardian angel._

"_You look familiar. Have we met?" said Angie._

"_I wish we could have. Hurry, you don't have much time," said the guardian angel._

_She ran to the light, stopped, and turned around._

"_What's your name?" Angie yelled._

"_James! We're cousins!" the guardian angel yelled._

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Dr. Harlow glanced at the heart monitor.

"She's back," said Dr. Harlow.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"David? David!" Olivia yelled.

"What?" said Rossi.

"They got her back," said Olivia.

He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding as the doctors hastily wheeled Angie to a waiting elevator.

"I'm Dr. Harlow. They're rushing her to surgery. We can talk down here," said Dr. Harlow.

He led the siblings to a room that seemed to be used to give family members bad news in a discreet setting.

"I'm aware from a cop that the two of you are her aunt and uncle. What about her parents?" said Dr. Harlow.

"The asshole that did this to her murdered both of them. So tell us what we should expect," said Olivia.

"I'm going to be straight with both of you. Your niece is in bad shape. Her lungs sustained most of the damage from the blast and she's lost a lot of blood," said Dr. Harlow. "She also has a skull fracture that is causing intracranial pressure, which is why we couldn't wait any longer to get her into surgery."

He went to explain the full extent of Angie's injuries. Knowing that they had no control of whether she lived or not had Rossi and Olivia angry. Neither of them liked it when they realized they had no control of a situation or it's outcome.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Do I really want to know what he meant when he began speaking in tongues?" said Rossi.

"I can translate but you won't like what I have to say," said Olivia.

"Is she really that bad?" said Rossi.

"It's going to be touch and go for a while, but she's young and was healthy prior to this," said Olivia.

Their conversation was interrupted when Gibbs showed up with Johnny and Marie in tow.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

As several members of the Rossi family waited to see if Angie would pull through surgery, the atmosphere in the waiting room got so tense it could've been cut with a knife.

Gibbs was working on his second cup of coffee, Marie was praying with a rosary, and Johnny was reading a magazine. Rossi and Olivia stared at the double doors waiting for someone, anyone, to come out with news about Angie.

"Put down that magazine and pray!" Marie yelled.

Johnny rolled his eyes and put it down.

"What was that for?" said Marie.

"Nothing," said Johnny.

Rossi, Olivia, and Gibbs noticed how surly Johnny looked.

"What happened after I left this morning?" said Rossi.

"Nothin'," said Johnny.

"What happened this morning that got Katherine and Angie at the mall?" said Rossi.

"Your mother and her blasted view on skirts," said Johnny.

"That's not fair!" said Marie.

"Are you high, Ma? There's a madman bombing buildings, and you were concerned about if the skirt of Angie's dress would touch the ground when she kneeled in church during her father's funeral? Michael's dead! He wouldn't have cared!" Olivia yelled.

"Don't bother, Ollie. Appearances are all that matter to the woman," Rossi snarled.

"That wasn't fair, son," said Johnny.

"Angie almost died in the emergency room in front of me. She didn't even want to go to the mall, did she? I'll bet she cooperated just to make everyone happy because tensions were so high in the house when I went to the precinct this morning," said Rossi.

"She seemed reluctant but I thought if she and Katherine got out of the house it'd do them some good," said Marie. "This is all my fault."

"No… it's mine," said Rossi.

Gibbs muttered something about getting more coffee and left.

"What are you talking about?" said Olivia.

"I should've seen this coming! The suspect was beginning to play games. He could've blown The Drake Hotel at the rate he was going. I – I should've taken Angie to the precinct with me. I could've protected her there," said Rossi.

"You can't blame yourself for this," said Olivia. "It's the madman blowing up buildings that's to blame, but not you. What you did for Angie was the most selfless act of bravery I've ever seen."

He wondered how Olivia had found out, but he was unable to sit in the waiting room any longer. It was driving him nuts.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi found the hospital chapel shortly after he left the waiting room and lit four candles before kneeling in a pew to pray.

He couldn't remember the last time he had prayed. He hoped that despite getting divorced three times he still had some good will left with the big man upstairs.

"I know I've screwed up in several areas of my life except for being an uncle. You and I both know that's the only area of my life I've done well in. Veronica, Nick, Angela… they've helped me see that there's more than being the best the FBI has to offer," said Rossi. "It's Angie I'm worried about. She's in surgery because a suspect I was chasing blew up a building she was in. I know I've made mistakes, but she shouldn't have to pay for them. She's only eleven years old. Please… watch over her and help her get through this."

He heard a noise. It was Olivia.

"O – one of the nurses gave me Angie's things," said Olivia.

She reached into her purse and took out Angie's necklace. The dog tags and St. Jude pendant reflected the light of the candles Rossi had lit a moment ago.

"I thought you might want to hold on to this until we know when she'll be able to wear it again," said Olivia.

Rossi nodded.

"I – I need some time alone right now. I hope you don't mind," said Rossi.

"Not at all. Dad and Ma won't quit arguing so I'm going to have to handle the funeral arrangements for Michael and Katherine. I'd call Juliet to come and help me but someone has to stay with the kids. As much as I want them all here, I know the kids will be scared for Angie," said Olivia.

Olivia gave her little brother a hug before she left the chapel.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi stared at the necklace for the longest time. He hoped Angie would be okay after the surgery and he could give it back to her.

He then began to remember when he had given her his dog tags.

It had been five years ago…

**Next chapter will be a flashback.**


	9. Memories

**A/N: Ugh, it's been over a month since i've updated anything! Darn schoolwork, and darn migraines, too. I got a boatload of schoolwork that I haven't finished, so after posting this, I'll probably be pulling an all-nighter. Since I got a project and 2 quizzes, all due or being taken this week, that's what I'll have to do tonight. As for CM, am I the only one who thinks Rossi has a bit of a deathwish after this week's episode? I'll try to be better with the updating, but its not easy. Least it was my bday yesterday and I was able to relax a little from the crazy college life. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 9- Memories**

_September 1__st__, 1992._

_Ruby Ridge, IA._

He leaned against the car, staring at the agent next to him in disgust.

Agent Erin Strauss, like Rossi had quickly risen in favor among the higher-ups of the FBI. Unlike Rossi, it was because she did everything her superiors wanted.

In Rossi's opinion, the 35-year-old agent was a diplomatic ass-kisser. She made the decisions that would get her higher up the political ladder.

They had once been the same, but after the last week and a half, he couldn't be that way.

Not after witnessing everything unfold at Ruby Ridge.

"I don't understand you, David," said Strauss. "We got everything resolved. We should be celebrating in the hotel with some champagne… and some fun that I've been wanting to have since I've met you… my being married doesn't bother you, does it?"

"After what you did during the siege I'd rather die than sleep with you," Rossi growled. "You told the cops to shoot at anyone who was a threat and said it was an order from me. A mother was shot holding her baby as a result. I don't even want to look at you right now."

_Fairfax, VA._

David Rossi got home that night to find his second wife gone and a message on his answering machine.

"_David, it's Evelyn. I saw the news. I guess I don't know you as well as I thought I did. I can't be with you after you got that woman killed. Your niece's First Communion is coming up, right? I'll get my stuff out and have the papers drawn up then."_

To say he was angry was an understatement. The woman had thrown himself all over him after he had divorced Caroline, and now when things had gone bad she wanted nothing to do with him.

He took his wedding band off and scowled at the inscription Evelyn had insisted on. He wouldn't even be able to pawn it. He would've liked to do that.

He noticed Evelyn had left hers behind on the dresser in what had formerly been their bedroom.

He was about to flush them when the phone rang again. The minute he heard Angie's voice he picked up the phone.

"Hi," said Rossi.

"Hey Uncle David," said Angie. "I saw the news… are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

He wasn't sure how to answer that question. He knew he'd never be the same again after Ruby Ridge.

However, getting the phone call from Angie had helped him feel better in the wake of realizing he would be going through yet another divorce.

As they talked on the phone and he realized she didn't think he was at fault for anything, he knew he couldn't allow himself to miss her First Communion.

She was there for him, and he needed to be there for her too.

_September 4__th__, 1992._

_Chicago, IL._

"I hate this!" said Angie.

"Angela Dahlia Rossi, hold still!" said Katherine.

"You guys are poking her," said Juliet.

"They're pinning her mantilla on because my mother wanted her to wear it. I can still remember the torture that was my own First Communion!" said Olivia. "Ma poked me with a pin and I almost bled all over my dress."

"It was a – hold still, Bambina!" said Marie.

"Ouch!" said Angie.

"I think David's here," said Juliet.

"He is!" Veronica yelled. "Uncle David's here! Uncle David's here!"

Angie was annoyed. While her grandmother was pinning the mantilla on her head, she wasn't going to be able to run outside and see her uncle – unless she did something drastic.

"Grandma! The Virgin Mary is right behind you!" said Angie.

Marie looked behind her and Angie ran out the door.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi watched both his nieces run out the door and noticed that his mother and sister-in-law had gotten Angie into her First Communion outfit.

"Uncle David! Don't let them keep pinning this thing on me!" said Angie.

He noticed his mother had pinned her mantilla from her wedding on Angie's head.

"I don't hate it… I just don't want to wear it until Sunday," said Angie.

He noticed someone else come outside. It was Juliet, his sister's longtime partner. Even though she had been living in the United States since the 1970s, Juliet still had a British accent due to being born and raised in London.

"Try not ta get dirty, girls," said Juliet.

"Mum! Uncle David's here!" said Veronica.

She ran back inside the house just as quickly.

"She's been hyper all day," said Juliet.

"What's with the hat?" said Rossi.

Juliet was wearing a black hat with a huge feather on it. To Rossi, it looked like an entire bird had crawled on it and died.

"What happened to your wedding band? Did I win tha bettin' pool this time?" said Juliet.

Olivia joined Juliet at the door and glanced at Rossi's left hand, which was bare.

"Yeah, you won," said Olivia. "Ma! Juliet won!"

"You bet how long my marriage would last?" said Rossi.

"Course. We had nothing better to do," said Olivia.

Rossi rolled his eyes.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

It took nearly half an hour for Marie and Katherine to get the mantilla out of Angie's hair. The minute the last pin was removed she took off. Veronica followed her.

"Nice going Ma. Now she has a hostage next time," said Olivia.

"Then it's a good thing your brother's here. He's the best hostage negotiator the FBI has," said Johnny.

Everyone except Rossi laughed. He then heard running. It was Angie and Veronica. Angie was in her Girl Scouts uniform, but it looked different.

"I'm a Brownie now," said Angie. "What do you think?"

"That's great Angie," said Rossi.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_September 5__th__, 1992._

"Evelyn left, didn't she?" said Olivia.

"Yeah," said Rossi.

"I told you she would," said Olivia. "She's a cunt. Good luck making sure she doesn't get your balls in the divorce settlement."

The two of them were interrupted by the roaring of a motorcycle and yelling.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Michael Rossi you stop that right now!" Katherine yelled.

Rossi noticed his little brother popping a wheelie on a motorcycle and laughed. When Michael rode closer to his older siblings, Rossi noticed Angie was on the back. She was laughing.

"Do it again Daddy!" said Angie.

"I think your mother's had enough," said Michael.

"David! Get over here!" Katherine yelled.

Rolling his eyes, Rossi went over to Katherine and tried to remember the last time he had seen her in a good mood.

He couldn't.

"What is it?" said Rossi.

"He won't stop with the bike! He bought it a month ago and refuses to get off it! Keeps giving Angie rides and I don't like it, David. It's too dangerous. She's only a little girl," said Katherine.

"I'm not little," said Angie.

"You're only seven," said Katherine.

"I'm not little," said Angie. "Babies are little. Not me."

She then took her helmet off and ran to the garage to put it away.

"She's more responsible than girls her age, Katherine," said Olivia.

"Aren't either of you going to side with me on this?" said Katherine. "David, he listens to you. Talk to him."

"She's not in any danger providing she has a helmet on and Michael isn't speeding," said Olivia.

"She's not scared," said Rossi.

"No, I'm not," said Angie.

Rossi and Michael laughed, Angie giggled, and Katherine rolled her eyes.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Michael! Come back!" said Katherine.

"I have to work tonight if I want tomorrow off, sweetheart," said Michael.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi got Angie into the kitchen and away from an arguing Michael and Katherine. Didn't they know it wasn't good to argue in front of the kids?

"Since your mother is too busy to make dinner, I'll let you help me," said Rossi.

"Really?" said Angie.

"Yeah," said Rossi. "Eggplant Parmigiana, your favorite."

She had such a happy and excited look on her face as Veronica ran into the kitchen giggling.

"I was naughty!" said Veronica.

"What did you do?" said Rossi.

"She spat gum in Katherine's hair," said Olivia.

"That's why you never should've asked Ray Finnegan to donate his sperm," Rossi whispered.

"Watch it baby brother, there's children present," Olivia whispered.

"Mom deserved it," said Angie.

"No she didn't," said Rossi.

"She's always mean to you," said Angie.

"Angie's right," said Olivia.

Angie laughed as Olivia and Veronica left the kitchen.

"You being a wise guy?" said Rossi.

"No… I'm being a wise gal," said Angie.

Rossi laughed as the two of them began to make the eggplant parmigiana.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

"Something smells good in here," said Olivia.

"We're almost finished cooking the eggplant!" said Angie.

"Did my little brother burn anything?" said Olivia.

"Uncle David is a good cook! He never burns anything!" said Angie.

Olivia rolled her eyes.

"What?" said Rossi.

"Nothing," said Olivia.

"Don't say anything Uncle David!" said Angie. "It's a trap!"

Olivia and Rossi laughed as the timer went off signaling that the eggplant parmigiana was ready to be taken out of the oven.

"Angie, I have to talk to your uncle. How about you do me a favor and track down your mother, Aunt Juliet, and Veronica for me?" said Olivia.

Angie gave Olivia a hug and took off. Once Olivia was sure Angie was out of earshot, she slapped Rossi in the back of the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" said Rossi.

"You know how much she loves having you around… and you never are. Besides, not my fault that you used the head-slap on your friend and he decided to use it again on you," said Olivia.

Their argument was interrupted by Michael walking into the kitchen.

"I thought you were at the precinct," said Rossi.

"Case I got called in for was a false alarm," said Michael. "Smells good in here, when can we eat that?"

Olivia and Rossi exchanged an annoyed look with each other as they slapped Michael in the back of the head.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Mostly everyone was talking about Angie's First Communion that was going to take place the next day.

"I'm nervous," said Angie.

"You'll do great, sweetie," said Katherine.

Angie nodded and went back to eating her eggplant. After dinner was over, conversation drifted towards what to do next.

"Let's play some music," said Katherine.

She tried to get up, but all three Rossi siblings ran for the record player in the living room.

"It'll probably be Dean Martin," said Juliet.

"Cool! I wanna sing!" said Veronica.

"Me too!" said Angie.

"You mind singing with your grandpa?" said Johnny.

"You can sing with us!" said Angie.

"Yeah! Sing with us!" said Veronica. "Mom said you used to be a famous tenor!"

"I was," said Johnny.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Marie, Katherine, and Juliet stood to the side and watched everyone else sing. They knew they weren't good and didn't want to make fools of themselves considering the amount of wine that had been consumed by everyone, except the kids.

Juliet grabbed a video camera and filmed the other four drunk adults, her daughter, and her niece singing "Mambo Italiano".

_(A boy went back to Napoli because he missed the scenery)  
>(The native dances and the charming songs)<br>(But wait a minute something's wrong)  
>('cause now it's)<br>Hey mambo, mambo Italiano hey hey mambo mambo Italiano  
>Go go go you mixed up Siciliano<br>All you Calabrese do the mambo like-a crazy with the  
>Hey mambo don't wanna tarantella<br>Hey mambo no more mozzarella  
>Hey mambo mambo Italiano try an enchilada with a fish baccala<br>Hey goomba I love how you dance the rumba  
>But take some advice paisano learn-a how to mambo<br>If you're gonna be a square you ain't-a gonna go anywhere  
>Hey mambo mambo Italiano hey hey mambo mambo Italiano<br>Go go Joe shake like a tiavanna  
>E lo che se dice you get happy in the pizza when you<br>Mambo Italiano_

_Hey chadrool you don't-a have to go to school  
>Just make it with a big bambino<br>It's like vino  
>Kid you good-a looking but you don't-a know what's cooking 'til you<br>Hey mambo mambo Italiano  
>Hey hey mambo mambo Italiano<br>Ho ho ho you mixed up Siciliano  
>E lo che se dice you get happy in the pizza when you<br>Mambo Italiano…_

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

_September 6__th__, 1992._

Mostly everyone was taking pictures of Angie in her First Communion dress, but Olivia and Marie were arguing.

"For Pete's sake, Ma! You wear black to funerals, not this! Go – go change before my brothers let their imagination run wild and piss themselves during Mass!" said Olivia.

Marie left to change. Juliet walked up with the video camera in a bag before giving Olivia a kiss.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The entire family sat in pews, waiting for the line of children to proceed up the middle aisle of the church.

Everyone in the Rossi family watched with pride when it was Angie's turn.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Dinner was at UNO's. Rossi and Michael had had a few beers too many and had begun making jokes about Olivia's age because she had turned 40 several months ago.

"Soon you'll both be there, and I'll be teasing you both even worse," said Olivia.

"Mom, tell Uncle David about the plan!" said Veronica.

"Plan? What plan?" said Rossi.

"It's a trap!" said Michael.

Katherine and Juliet laughed. Michael put his arms around his wife and kissed her.

"What's going on?" said Angie.

"I found a lady friend for your uncle," said Olivia.

Michael laughed so hard beer squirted out of his nose. This sent Angie and Veronica into giggles. Rossi couldn't help but notice how close his nieces were. They were more like sisters than cousins.

As for his own sister, had she really just said what he thought she said?

"No!" said Rossi.

"Quit bein' stubborn," said Olivia.

"I'll be as stubborn as I want," said Rossi.

Rossi's words got more laughter from Angie and Veronica.

"You two wanna see a cool trick?" said Rossi.

"Yeah!" said Angie and Veronica.

Rossi took Evelyn's wedding ring out of his pocket and tossed it into a shot of whiskey he had just ordered.

"Don't try this at home," said Rossi.

He downed the shot – wedding ring and all.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

After everyone was back at Michael's house, Angie found her uncle sitting outside on the back porch.

"You shouldn't have done that," said Angie. "You'll get sick."

"I won't get sick," said Rossi.

He was certain with the amount of liquor he'd drunk at the restaurant that he'd throw up the wedding band tomorrow morning.

"Come sit, I got something for you," said Rossi.

Angie took a seat next to her uncle. Rossi took his dog tags out of his jacket pocket and handed them to Angie.

"I want you to have these," said Rossi. "You're my niece and my goddaughter, and its time I passed them down to you."

"Thank you, Uncle David," said Angie. "I'll wear them every day."

_June 24__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

That had been five years ago, but to David Rossi it felt like an eternity had gone by. He had married a third wife and divorced her almost as quickly. They had all gotten older, and now the trio of mischievous Rossi siblings was down to two. Michael's death would've been bad enough without Katherine being murdered shortly after.

Then there was Angie. A few weeks shy of twelve, but injured badly enough that no one knew if she would get through the surgery being performed to save her life.

Rossi watched Olivia walk inside the chapel.

"Just peeked through the window of one of the doors leading into the OR," said Olivia. "She's not out of surgery yet."

"What were you really doing?" said Rossi.

"Seeing if the surgeon was rehearsing what he had to tell us," said Olivia. "I know all the tricks, Dave. I've done them. It's like poker and profiling. There's always a tell."

"Bullshit. There has to be times when there isn't a 'tell'," said Rossi.

"Only in one scenario," said Olivia.

"Which one?" said Rossi.

Olivia sighed. She hadn't wanted to disclose this to her brother.

"When the surgeon has a blank look on their face, it means… it means things didn't go well, that there were complications," said Olivia.

"Enough with the doctor talk! Just tell me!" said Rossi.

"It means the patient died on the table, Dave! Is that what you wanna hear when we both know you're scared shitless right now?" said Olivia.

The minute the words left her mouth, she realized she had driven her younger brother to tears. Olivia began crying herself.

"I'll be back," Olivia whispered.

She went back to the waiting room. Just as she arrived, the double doors swung open.

"Are you all waiting on Angela Rossi?" said the surgeon.

"Yes," said Olivia.

**Song is Mambo Italiano by Dean Martin.**


	10. The Final Hunt

**A/N: I'm sorry that this chapter is so short after not updating for so long. Midterms were terrible and I barely had time to write. So what little time I had this week, I've been writing. I hope you guys enjoy reading. **

**Chapter 10- The Final Hunt**

_June 25__th__, 1997._

_Chicago, IL._

Images. Memories. They flashed through his mind over and over.

The tiny gravestone with his son's name interspersed with the screaming children in Indianapolis, Gibbs tossing Kelly in the air, Veronica pushing Nick on a swing set, and finally him at a shooting range with Angie about a year ago on her eleventh birthday.

She hadn't liked the recoil one bit. Her reaction had been so comical he had had to fight the urge to laugh.

Now he was fighting back tears.

Angie had to make it. She had to. He had lost a son, a brother… he couldn't lose his niece, too.

"Dave?" said Olivia.

Rossi stared at his watch. Half past one. It was morning. When had it become morning?

"What?" said Rossi.

"Surgery's over," Olivia whispered.

"And?" said Rossi.

"She's alive, but the surgeon said due to the injuries and blood loss, it's going to be touch and go. He said if she goes 48 hours without complications there's a good chance she'll make a full recovery," said Olivia.

Rossi let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. While this horror was far from over, knowing Angie had survived the surgery was enough for now.

"They moved her to the ICU," said Olivia. "We decided you should be the first to see her."

Rossi left the chapel with his sister and they went to the ICU.

He would see Angie.

Then he had to catch the bastard who had ruined their lives.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

He wasn't prepared for what Angie would look like when he went to see her.

The frail girl lying in a hospital bed surrounded by machines was a far cry from the eleven-year-old that never seemed to sit still for more than five minutes at a time.

Rossi couldn't tell if she was asleep or unconscious. It unnerved him, seeing her like this.

"You've gotten this far. I know you can make it. You're stubborn. It's a Rossi family trait. It might've driven your mother nuts, but she was the same way," said Rossi. "She was a teacher at the worst high school in Chicago and even though most of those kids were in a bad way, she was determined to teach them something. That's how she met your father, Angela. Two of the kids got in a fight and your dad had to take them to the police station. Your mother wouldn't let him take one of them with him, said the poor kid got jumped. They yelled louder than anyone I know but your father was impressed by how much she went to bat for that kid. He went back to that school the next day and asked her out."

As much as Rossi usually found the entire story funny, it was difficult to find anything funny these days. Michael's funeral was tomorrow, and Katherine's was the day after.

The promise he had made to Michael to be there for Angie… both men had thought Katherine would also be alive.

How naïve they had been. Now everything was messy. Having once been in the military, Rossi didn't like messy.

"I don't want you to worry about what might happen," said Rossi. "I got a plan. Everything will be fine. I promise."

He was interrupted by a light knock on the door.

It was Olivia.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The siblings talked in the hall.

"Bobby and Hotch are back," said Olivia. "I called Juliet while you were visiting Angie. She's flying down with the kids tonight."

"Are you telling me I have until tonight to catch this guy?" said Rossi.

"Are you telling me he's gonna bomb the airport?" Olivia hissed.

"I don't know what he's capable of anymore," said Rossi. "He can't get in the airport, though. Hotch and I have sent his picture to every transportation hub in Chicago. He's not getting away."

"Why isn't it statewide?" Olivia asked.

"The only thing I know right now… he won't leave the city. It's where everything started. It's where everything will end," said Rossi.

"Make sure it ends the right way," said Olivia.

"Excuse me?" Rossi hissed.

"He killed Michael and Katherine, Angie is still in a bad way… y'know what, Dave? Just forget what I said, alright? I need a cigarette," said Olivia.

"Didn't you quit when you got pregnant with Veronica?" said Rossi.

"I'm coming apart, I need to keep it together for everyone right now," said Olivia. "So I'm going to smoke a little and go to O'Hare to wait for my family."

Before Rossi could say anything, Olivia left.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

The three men talked in the waiting room.

"We have another possible location," said Hotch.

"I'm sorry I wasn't at the station," said Rossi.

"Don't be. Your place was here," said Bobby. "If anyone was gonna complain they'd have to deal with me. I was his partner for four years. We had each other's backs. By extension I had his family's back as well."

"Myers sold his old house after Bailey died. It was purchased several years ago but was put back on the market," said Hotch.

"He's probably there," said Rossi. "Have Chicago PD evacuate the entire street."

The men heard footsteps and turned around. It was Hope.

"I need to talk to Bobby alone," said Hope.

"We'll wait for you outside the hospital," said Rossi.

The agents left. Bobby noticed his fiancée was muttering something in French… something she usually did when something was bothering her.

"I thought you and the other ADAs had to hold down the fort at the office. What's going on?" said Bobby.

"Please don't be mad," said Hope.

"Honey, I could never be mad at you. I know we've had our fair share of spats but I love you. We're getting married next year," said Bobby.

"I'm pregnant," said Hope. "Two months. All I ask is that you try not to die out there."

"I'll do my best," said Bobby.

They shared a kiss before Bobby went to join Hotch and Rossi.

"Au revoir," Hope whispered.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Myers looked up and saw that the house was surrounded by cops.

He smiled as he picked up the detonator for his final bomb and dumped gasoline on the floor.

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Bobby, Hotch, and Rossi went into the house and checked for signs of Myers.

Rossi heard a splash.

"It's coming from the basement," Bobby whispered.

"How many of ya are in here?" Myers yelled. "Come down here!"

"How many bombs, Myers?" asked Rossi.

Myers began laughing. The way the laughter sounded scared Hotch and Bobby and made Rossi angry.

"Just one this time. A big one," said Myers. "I heard three sets of footprints up there. So, who will it be? The detective who left his partner to be blown to bits or one of the FBI agents he brought?"

Bobby's hands curled into fists as he fought to control his anger. The sonofabitch didn't have the right to mention Michael. A detective and father that Bobby had hoped he could someday be a tenth of when he had children of his own.

Children. Hope's pregnancy. He wondered if Michael had somehow known.

"I'll deal with him," Rossi muttered.

"No," said Bobby. "I'll go in this time."

"I've done this before," said Rossi. "I'm going down there, and I'm going down alone."

**CRIMINAL MINDS**

Rossi went into the cellar and immediately smelled gasoline. He realized that Myers must've dumped it all over the basement floor.

"Come out, Myers," said Rossi. "There's nowhere to run."

"I know that," Myers sneered. "Pity you decided to arrive to the party without your dates. You know what they say… the more the merrier!"

"You just wanted to take out as many of us with you as possible," said Rossi. "Wasn't going to give you the opportunity."

"Least I get one of you… now, drop the gun and get off the staircase," said Myers.

"Now why would I do that?" asked Rossi. "I'm up here where it's dry and you… you're standing in a pool of gasoline. One spark and the whole place goes."

"Exactly," said Myers.

He crossed over to a table and picked up a remote.

"Drop the remote, Myers," said Rossi.

"No," said Myers. "If I'm going, I'm taking you with me."

Rossi knew at that point he would have to keep Myers talking until he could get the unsub to put the remote down. Even after that, the situation was still precarious. If Myers dropped a match in that pool of gasoline, they were both dead. Rossi knew firing his gun had the potential to be just as dangerous.

"You were there when you set off each bomb, weren't you?" said Rossi.

"Had to be. Outside of thirty feet meant being out of range," said Myers.

"Why the mall?" said Rossi.

He had to know. Something in his gut told him it was more than one of the restaurants inside having a liquor license.

"After I wasted that detective, the entire city was up in arms. Wanted to do it again. After that it wasn't as much about making people in the bars pay, but the city itself," said Myers. "I wanted to bring the city of Chicago to its knees… and I succeeded!"

Myers began to laugh. It was a horrible laugh that enforced how evil he was.

"Drop the remote, Myers!" Rossi yelled.

Myers moved his hand to press a button and Rossi knew he couldn't hesitate any longer.

When he pulled the trigger, the floor of the basement burst into flames. Before he could do anything, the fire reached Myers and engulfed the unsub as he screamed for mercy.

Rossi immediately ran out of the house before the flames could touch him.

**TBC...**


End file.
